B  3  taw  lis 


ill 


■ 


HISTORY   OF   CLEVELAND. 


MOSES    CLEAVELAND. 


A  HISTORY 


/^^/«yc 


OF 


The  City  of  Cleveland 


ITS  SETT LEM EXT,  RISE  AXD  PROGRESS. 


/A J/ES  'ha RRISON" kenned  F, 

'/ 

Editor  of  "  The  Magazine  of  Wester7i  History  E' 
Author  of  "  The  Early  Days  of  Mormo)iisiii  ;  " 
"  The  American  Railroad E'  "  Three  Witnesses 
of  the  Book  of  Mormon  ,■  "  "  The  Bench  a /id  Bar 
of  ClevelandE  etc.  Corresponding  Member  of  the 
Western  Reserve  Historical  Society,  etc.,  etc. 


Illustrated  with  Maps.,  Portraits  and  Views. 


CLEVELAND :  ^bc  llmpcrial  lprc56. 

MDCCCXCVL. 


Copyright  i8g6. 

By   The  Imperial  Press, 

CI  cue  I  and. 


No. 


3^f. 


TO    THE    MEMORY    OF 

MOSES  CLEAVELAND, 

AND     HIS     ASSOCIATES    OF    1796, 

IS    DEDICATED 

THIS    RECORD    OF    THEIR    ACHIEVEMENTS,    AND    OF    THE 

CITY    WHOSE    FOUNDATIONS    THEY'    LAID 

ONE    HUNDRED    YEARS    AGO. 


ivi29o;^44 


/  hear  the  tread  of  pioneers 

Of  nations  yet  to  be  ; 
The  first  low  wash  of  waves,  where  soon 

Shall  roll  a  hnman  sea. 

Each  rude  atid  jostling  fragment  soon 

Its  fitting  place  shall  find, — 
The  raw  material  of  a  State, 

Its  muscle  and  Its  niind ! 

John  Greenleaf  Whittier. 


PREFACE. 


The  chief  reason  for  the  appearance  of  this  narrative 
may  be  found  in  the  fact  that  no  sustained  and  adequate 
history  of  the  city  of  Cleveland  has  been  attempted  in 
recent  years,  and  that  this  centennial  year  seemed  to 
demand  something  that  should  clearly  set  forth  the  won- 
derful things  that  one  hundred  years  have  accomplished. 
Subordinate  reasons  are  found  in  an  unusual  opportunity 
for  the  collection  of  material,  and  a  deep  interest  in  all 
that  relates  to  the  creation  and  development  of  the  great 
city  whose  history  is  here  recorded.  In  this  semi-conii- 
dential  note  to  the  reader  a  personal  reference  that  else- 
where would  be  out  of  place  may  be  permitted. 

From  1872  to  1889  the  writer  was  continuously  engaged 
in  newspaper  and  literary  labor  in  Cleveland,  the  main 
part  of  which  was  connected  with  local  themes  and  bore 
relation  to  the  advance  of  the  city  along  those  lines  of 
development  that  in  the  last  twenty-five  years  have  car- 
ried her  into  the  front  rank  of  the  great  cities  of  the 
West.  That  which  was  at  first  a  matter  of  the  day's  bus- 
iness became  a  labor  of  love,  and  day  by  day,  and  year  by 
year,  the  accumulation  of  historical  material  went  on — a 
task  that  has  by  no  means  ceased,  even  in  these  later 
years  of  absence. 

The  foundations  for  this  work  were,  therefore,  laid 
almost  unconsciously,  and  its  appearance  may  hardly  be 


PREFA  CE. 


looked  upon  as  premeditated.  No  one  is  more  conscious 
than  the  writer  of  the  fact  that  a  better  use  of  this  abun- 
dant material  might  have  been  made,  but  he  will  not  admit 
that  any  one  could  have  carried  to  the  task  a  deeper  per- 
sonal interest  in  the  theme,  or  treasured  a  closer  affection 
for  the  beautiful  Forest  City,  the  city  of  homes,  the  city 
in  whose  record  may  be  found  so  much  to  admire  and 
commend,  and  so  little  that  needs  apology  or  apologetic 
explanation. 

The  most  critical  reader  cannot  more  deeply  deplore 
than  does  the  writer  the  limitations  of  a  work  of  this  char- 
acter. A  half  dozen  volumes,  rather  than  one,  would  have 
been  required  to  follow  all  the  enterprises  and  interests  of 
Cleveland  to  the  complete  conclusion  of  the  record,  and 
to  give  to  each  actor  in  these  stirring  scenes  of  a  hundred 
years  the  full  meed  of  recognition  or  praise.  In  many 
cases  where  only  a  generalization  was  possible,  notes  have 
been  added  showing  where  the  complete  record  could  be 
obtained,  thus  enabling  the  student  of  our  home  history 
to  follow  his  investigations  with  the  smallest  poSvSible 
outlay  of  labor  or  research.  It  has  also  been  the  aim  of 
the  author  to  give  the  testimony  of  the  witnesses  them- 
selves where  possible,  and  to  that  end  many  direct  quota- 
tions have  been  made  from  the  original  sources.  The  ad- 
vantages and  justice  of  this,  course  will  be  readily  recog- 
nized. 

It  would  be  impossible  in  the  space  here  permitted  to 
give  individual  credit  to  the  many  friends  who  have  as- 
sisted in  the  collection  of  material,  or  furnished  valuable 
suggestions  as  to  sources  from  which  original  information 
might  be  obtained.  Especial  mention,  however,  must  be 
made  of  the  officers  of  the  Western  Reserve  Historical 
Society,  of  the  Early  vSettlers'   Association  of  Cuyahoga 


PREFACE.  xi 


County,  and  of  the  Chamber  of  Commeree ;  the  librarian 
of  the  Public  Library,  executive  officers  of  the  various 
municipal  departments,  the  newspaper  managers  and  ed- 
itors whose  files  have  been  willingly  placed  at  my  serv- 
ice. Acknowledgment  of  the  most  ample  character  must 
also  be  made  to  Col.  Charles  Whittlesey's  "  Early  History 
of  Cleveland,"  the  publications  of  the  Western  Reserve 
Historical  Society,  and  the  "Annals  of  the  Early  Settlers' 
Association  of  Cuyahoga  County."  No  history  of  Cleve- 
land can  be  written,  in  all  time  to  come,  that  is  not  prima- 
rily based  upon  that  admirable  and  authentic  collection 
of  original  papers,  that  grew  into  a  volume  by  the  earnest 
and  intelligent  labor  of  Col.  Whittlesey.  Purporting  to 
be  onlv  what  thev  are — disconnected  facts  collected  from 
original  and  widely  diverse  sources — they  supply  many 
links  of  historical  connection  that  would  have  been  blanks 
without  them.  It  was  indeed  a  fortunate  thing  for  Cleve- 
land and  the  Western  Reserve  that  this  able  and  careful 
historian  devoted  himself  to  a  labor  of  such  importance, 
at  a  period  sufficiently  early  for  the  preservation  of  much 
that  otherwise  would  have  been  a  total  loss. 

The  many  tracts  issued  by  the  Western  Reserve  Histor- 
ical Society  largely  supplement  and  carry  forward  the 
good  work  in  the  "  Early  History  of  Cleveland."  The 
"Annals  "  of  the  Early  Settlers  came  into  existence  not 
a  moment  too  soon ;  had  they  been  commenced  a  decade 
later,  some  of  the  most  important  facts  in  regard  to 
pioneer  Cleveland  would  have  been  lost  forever.  The 
papers,  speeches  and  letters  there  recorded  have  proved 
a  veritable  gold  mine  of  historical  information,  and  it 
would  be  a  great  loss  to  Cleveland  and  all  this  portion  of 
the  Middle  West  were  these  publications,  or  those  of  the 
older  organization,  from  any  cause,  suspended. 


xii  PREFACE. 


This  record  has  been  carried  as  far  as  possible  into  this 
memorable  centennial  year.  It  is  placed  before  the 
people  of  Cleveland,  and  the  sons  and  daughters  of  the 
city,  wherever  found,  in  the  hope  that  it  may  be  regarded 
as  not  altogether  least  among  the  tributes  paid  to  that 
great  anniversary  of  Cleveland's  birth. 


CONTENTS 


PAGE. 

Preface  .  .  .  .  .  .       ix 

CHAPTER  I. 

In  the  Western  Wii-derness  .  .  .         i 

CHAPTER  //. 

Lavinc,  the  Foundations      .  .  .  .28 

CHAPTER  111. 

ThkI'IE  Trvin(;  Years  .  .  .  -53 

CHAPTER  IV. 

A  City  on  Paper         .  .  .  ,  -76 

chapter  v. 
Law,  Gospel,  and  Education  .  .  -97 

chapter  vi. 
The  County  of  Cuyahoga    .  .  .  -123 

CHAPTER    I'll. 

Ix  THE  Time  of  War  .  .  .  •     149 

chapter  \ii[. 
The  Incorporated  Village  of  Cleveland  .      173 

chapter  ix. 
By  Lake  and  Canal  .....     200 

chapter  x. 
Some  Years  of  Steady  GRO^vTH       .  .  .227 


xni  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XI. 

I'AGK. 

The  City  of  Cleveland        .  .  .  .256 

chapter  xii. 
Many  Events  of  a  Fruitful  Period  .  .     286 

chapter  xiii. 
4    The  Railroad  Era     .  .  .  .  -317 

CH.IJ'TKR  XI  r. 
Two  CiriEs  MEcoME  One         .  .  .  -341 


C//A/>TER  XV. 
I^vXl'ANSlON  AND  (tROWTII 

CHAPTER  Xri 

"^An  Era  of  many  Improvements 


374 


412 


CHAPTER  XIWI. 

n/iSSo — ^A  Wonderful  Decade — 1890  .  .     457 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

In  Greater  Cleveland  ....     486 

CHAPTER  X/X. 

Cleveland's  Centennial  Year         .  .  -519 


Index 


557 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


Portrait  of  Moses  Cleaveland 

Portrait  of  La  Salle 

Portrait  of  Rev.  John  Heckeweli 

Portrait  of  Seth  Pease 

Portrait  of  Joshua  Srow     . 

Euclid  Street,  1833 

St.  Clair  Street,  1833 

Portrait  of  James  Kin(;sp>urv 

Oldest  House  in  Cleveland 

Cleveland  in  1833 

Portrait  of  Lorenzo  Carter 

Cleveland  in  1833 

Cleveland  in  1600 

Portrait  of  Samuel  Huntington 

Portrait  of  Rev.  Joseph  Badger 

Portrait  of  John  Doan 

Northwest  Section  of  the  Public 

Portrait  of  John  Barr 
Southwest  Section  of  the  Public 


)ER 


SOUAR 


Square, 


Portrait  of  Abram  Hickox 

Portrait  of  Levi  Johnson   . 

Portrait  of  Alfred  Kellev 

The  Vallev  of  the  Cuvahoga,  1846 

Portrait  of  Gen.  W.  H.  Harrison 

Portrait  of  O.  H.  Perrv 

Burial  of  the  Dead  after  Perrv's  Victor 

First  Courthouse  and  Jail 

Portrait  of  Peter  M.  Weddell 

Trinity  Church,  1828 


I'ACE. 

Fr(>Jitispii'cc 
5 

•  25 
.       29 

facing  44 

fnciiio-  54 

•  56 

•  59 
facing  66 

•  70 
facing  80 

facing  92 

.       97 

100 

107 


E, 


1839 

facing 


114 
123 


\' 


1S39 

facing  I  30 

•  137 
.  144 

•  145 
facing  1 46 

.'  156 

•  159 
facing  162 

.  166 

.  180 

.  185 


XVI 


LIST  OF  ILL  USTRA  TIONS. 


ER 


H 


E, 


Superior  Street,  1846 
Portrait  of  Leonard  Case,  Sr 
Cleveland's  First  Schoolhouse 
Cleveland's  Academy 
Portrait  of  Harvey  Rice    . 
Stockley's  Pier,  1850 
Portrait  of  Reuben  Wood 
The  "  Walk-in-the-Water  " 
Wreck  of  the  "  Walk-in-the-Wai 
The  Old  Stone  Church,  1834 
The  Old  Stone  Church  of  to-day 
Portrait  of  R.  P.  Spalding 
Portrait  of  John  W.  Allen 
The  Second  Courthouse 
First  Methodist  Episcopal  Churc 
The  Lemen  Homestead,  1829 
The  Present  Lighthouse    . 
Portrait  of  Mrs.  Rebecca  C.  Rous 
Portrait  of  Jabez  W.  Fitch 
First  Baptist  Church,  1836 
First  Baptist  Church  of  to-da\ 
Cleveland  and  Ohio  City,  185  i 
Portrait  of  John  W.  Willey 
Portrait  of  George  Hoadly 
Portrait  of  Nicholas  Dockstader 
Portrait  of  George  A.  Benedict 
Portrait  of  Josiah  A.  Harris 
Portrait  of  Nelson  Hayward 
Portrait  of  Samuel  Starkweather 
Prospect  Street  Schoolhouse 
An  Old  District  Schoolhouse 
Portrait  of  Lorenzo  A.  Kelsey 
The  First  High  School  Building 
Cleveland  Public  Library  Building 
Portrait  of  Col.  Charles  Whittlesey 
Facsimile   Title   of    First    Directory    ( 
cities  of  Cleveland  and  Ohio,  1837- 


fnci 


PAGE. 

facing-   186 

187 
191 
194 

195 
196 

197 

203 

206 

2  12 

213 

215 

2  16 

228 

230 

233 

234 

235 
248 

251 

252 

260 

268 

269 

272 

274 

275 
276 

279 

281 

282 

284 

287 

288 

289 

293 


faci 


)F     TH 
-38 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRA  TIONS. 


xvti 


facing 


facin^ 


faciii 


Columbus  Street  Bridge,  1835 

Portrait  of  William  Case  . 

St.  Mary's  Church  on  "  The  Flats  " 

Portrait  of  Bishop  Amadeus  Rappe 

Portrait  of  Abner  C.  Brownell     . 

The  American  House 

Portrait  of  Dr.  Jarfd  P.  Kirtland 

The  present  vSecond  Presbyterian  Church 

St.  Paul's  Episcopal  Church,  1856 

The  Weddell  House 

Portrait  of  William  B.  Castle 

Railway  Station  and  Docks,  1854 

Portrait  of  George  B.  Senter 

Portrait  of  Edward  S.  Flint 

View  of  Cleveland  in  1853 

St.  John's  Cathedral 

Portrait  of  Joseph  L.  Weatherley 

Society  for  Savings  Buildinc; 

"  The  FLATS  "  IN  1857 

Portrait  of  H.  M.  Chapin    . 

Y,  M.  C.  A.  Building,  1875     . 

Portrait  of  Stephen  Buhrer 

'*  Cleveland  under  the  Hill,"  1854 

The  City  Hall  .... 

Portrait  of  F.  W.  Pelton  . 

New  England  Hotel,  1854  . 

The  proposed  new  Courthouse 

Kentucky  Street  School  Building,  1850 

The  Central  High  School  Building 

The  Public  Square,  1873 

The  Perry  Monument 

Soldiers'  Monument  in  Woodland  Cemetery 

Hospital  Camp,  Cleveland 

Old  Central  Police  Station 

Western  Reserve  Historical  Society  Building 

Portrait  of  C.  A.  Otis 

Portrait  of  William  J.  Gordon     . 


faci 


facin^ 


I'AGE. 

294 
297 
302 

303 
304 
309 


312 


314 
316 


T  22 

325 
330 
332 

337 
339 
343 
347 
350 
353 
356 
358 
367 
369 
372 
375 
376 
378 
378 

384 
388 

390 

397 
400 

408 

416 


xvin 


LIST  OF  ILL  USTRA  TIONS. 


A  View  in  Gordon  Park 

Euclid  Avenue  Opera  House 

Portrait  ov  John  A.  Ellsler 

Portrait  of  Nathan  P.  Payne 

Forest  City  House,  1876 

Portrait  of  W.  (t.  Rose 

Portrait  of  H.  M.  Addison 

Statue  of  Moses  Cue  ay  eland 

Portrait  of  Leonard  Case,  Jr 

Case  School  of  Applied  Science 

"  The  Ark  "  (exterior  yiew) 

A  Meeting  at  "  The  Ark  " 

Adelbert  College     . 

The  University  School 

The  Garfield  Monument     . 

Portrait  of  R.  R.  Herrick 

The  Stillman  Hotel 

Portrait  of  John  H.  Farley 

Portrait  of  Geo.  W.  Gardner 

Central  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in 

Birthplace  of  the  Epworth  League 

Proposed  Chamber  of  Commerce  Building 

Portrait  of  B.  D.  Babcock 

Cleveland  Shipbuilding 

Perry-Payne  Building 

Cleveland  Post-Office 

Portrait  of  Robert  Blee    . 

Portrait  of  Edwin  Cowles 

Portrait  of  R.  E.  McKisson 

Euclid  Avenue,  from  Erie  Street 

The  Present  St.  Paul's  Episcopal  Churc 

The  Hollenden  Hotel 

Cuyahoga  Building  . 

A  View  in  Wade  Park 

The  Centennial  Arch 


faci) 


I'AGE. 

facing  420 

426 

427 

430 

432 

435 

439 
441 

443 

444 

445 
446 

449 
450 

454 
458 

463 
466 
472 
480 
481 
facing  492 

493 
facing  500 

504 

506 

510 

514 

c  22 

527 

ST    O 
JO 

540 
542 

facing  550 

•      555 


889 


LIST  OF  ILL  USTRA  TIONS.  .ii.i 


M/fPS 


PAGE. 

Map  OK  THE  Western  Reserve         .  .  .18 

Plan  oe  the  Crrv  oe  Cleaveland  iiv  vSeth  Pease; 

1796  .....  fencing  40 
vSfaeeord's  Map  OE  Cleveland;   1801  .        facing  -j a, 

Map  OE  the  Village  OE  Cleveland;   1814  .  .      175 

Map  oe  Cleveland  and    rrs    Environs  isv  Ahaz 

Merchant;   1835  .  .  .     /(^-ing  258 

Plan  (je  the  City  of  Cleveland  ;  ab()ut  1853    facing  362 


THE 

HISTORY    OF    CLEVELAND, 


CHAPTER  I. 

IN    THE    WESTERN    WILDERNESS. 

"  While  I  was  in  New  Connecticut  I  laid  out  a  town, 
on  the  bank  of  Lake  Erie,  which  was  called  bv  mv  name, 
and  I  believe  the  child  is  now  born  that  may  live  to  see 
that  place  as  large  as  Old  Windham." 

These  are  the  words  in  which  Moses  Cleaveland,  in  the 
year  1796,  recorded  a  prophecy  that  has  been  abundantly 
fulfilled.  Staid  Old  Windham,  where  for  many  years 
Connecticut  justice  held  the  scales  with  rigid  exactness, 
was  then  far  in  advance  of  the  newly-named  town  upon 
the  Cuyahoga,  which  existed  only  upon  the  surveyors' 
charts,  and  in  the  prophetic  vision  of  its  founder.  vStaid 
Old  Windham  lies  to-day  in  the  quiet  usefulness  of  vil- 
lagehood,  while  the  city  by  Lake  Erie  is  well  counted  one 
of  the  ofreat  commercial  centers  of  the  West.  Could 
Moses  Cleaveland  stand  for  a  moment,  in  this  memorable 
centennial  year,  where  his  figure  in  bronze  keeps  ward 
over  the  city  where  his  memory  is  so  highly  honored,  he 
would  realize  that  he  had  builded  well,  and  left  an  im- 
press for  all  time  upon  the  life  and  development  of  this 
fair  portion  of  his  native  land. 

It  is  a  romantic  story  that  we  have  to  tell  of  the  men 
and  women  who  came  into  the  wooded  wilderness  on  the 
shores  of  Erie,  one  hundred  years  ago,  and  brought  with 
them  the  ideas  and  principles  that  hg,d  even  then  made 
New  England  a  power  in   the  moral   world — who   faced 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


dangfer,  and  withheld  themselves  from  no  labor  that  stood 
between  them  and  the  creation  of  a  home.  This  story 
can  never  be  told  in  that  completeness  of  incident  which 
is  the  very  essence  of  romantic  history,  but  enough  has 
been  written  or  related  by  those  who  had  a  part  therein 
to  make  one  of  the  most  entertaining  chapters  upon  the 
opening  of  the  West. 

Privation,  toil  and  danger  were  in  the  wilderness  in 
those  days,  as  the  long  war  between  civilization  and  savage- 
ry went  on.  While  the  Western  Reserve  had  its  share 
of  death  and  disaster,  the  valley  of  the  Cuyahoga  was 
never  drenched  in  blood  as  was  that  of  the  Mohawk  or  the 
Kentucky;  therefore,  the  story  of  Cleveland  has  no  rec- 
ord of  sack  or  pillage,  but  it  has  much  to  tell  of  want  and 
labor,  of  a  patient  sowing  of  seed  that  we  of  a  later  day 
might  reap,  of  brave  men  and  helpful  women.  It  is  a  rec- 
ord of  the  successive  steps  by  which  the  New  England  of 
the  East  grave  of  her  brain  and  sinew  for  the  buildincr  of 
the  New  England  of  the  West. 

A  striking  picture  in  this  panoramic  view  was  made 
when  General  Cleaveland,  upon  that  fair  day  in  July, 
stood  on  the  hills  overlooking  the  Cuyahoga  and  Lake 
Erie, and  realized  that  the  end  of  his  journey  and  the  begin- 
ning of  his  real  labor  of  planning  and  construction  had 
come  together  at  that  point  and  in  that  hour. 

Could  this  energetic  New  Englander  have  looked  into 
the  past,  as  he  scanned  the  wooded  heights  and  the  green- 
edged  valley,  he  would  have  seen  a  wonderful  chain  of 
events  that  led  back  to  the  beginnings  of  time,  and  of 
which  we  know  only  by  the  traces  left  upon  the  rocks  and 
in  the  soil — by  the  marking  fingers  of  ice,  of  flood  and  of 
fire. 

Those  who  have  studied  these  lessons,  as  they  lie  upon 
the  surface  or  beneath  the  soil,  from  the  gorges  of  Rocky 
River  to  the  ledges  of  Nelson,  tell  us  that  there  was  a 
time  when  Lake  Erie  had  not  made  a  beginning  among 
the  water  highways  of  the  world ;  when  its  bed  was  a 
wide  and  nearly  levfel   plain,  with   one   river,  or  perhaps 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  3 

two,  flowing  through  it.  There  was  little  soil  upon  the 
country  roundabout,  and  the  streams  were  deep  and  wide 
— the  valley  of  the  Cuyahoga  lying,  perhaps,  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  feet  or  more  deeper  than  it  does  to-day. 

A  marvelous  movement  of  nature  then  occurred,  and 
wonderful  changes  followed  in  its  w^ake.  Nearly  all  the 
North  was  covered  with  a  continent  of  ice,  which  moved 
in  a  southerly  direction,  carrying  stones  and  soil  in  great 
quantities,  and  leaving  the  country  far  more  fertile  than 
it  was  before.  "  The  Ice  Age,"  we  are  told  by  one^  who 
has  added  so  much  to  our  knowledge  of  past  events, 
"'  brought  to  your  vicinity  the  first  pioneers  from  another 
country,  your  boulders.  ....  While  this  was  going 
on,  a  little  south  of  the  ice,  streams  were  depositing 
gravel,  and  deep  in  that  gravel,  deposited  when  it  was 
laid,  are  the  undoubted  implements  of  glacial  man,  fol- 
lowing up  the  ice.  What  may  be  found  of  him,  here,  as 
the  ice  retreated,  is  not  known,  but  it  may  safely  be  pre- 
sumed that  the  earliest  known  man  knew^  something  of 
your  vicinity.  His  tools  of  flint,  chert  or  argillite  were 
very  simple  and  few.  His  learning  was  of  the  slightest. 
His  mark  upon  the  earth  was  so  small  that  high  authority 
believes  that  some  catastrophe  overwhelmed  him  alto- 
gether ;  but  perhaps  it  only  happened  that  some  civil- 
ized man  raised  him  at  once  to  a  higher  civilization,  per- 
haps in  a  servile  condition. 

"  After  the  Ohio  had  broken  the  dam  at  Cincinnati^  and 
regained  its  former  channel ;  after  the  plateaus  had  been 
formed  and  the  surface  of  Ohio  became  as  it  is  at  present, 
there  appeared  a  new  man,  the  Mound  Builder.     .... 
Weapons  and  tools  of  rubbed  and  chipped  stone,  copper 

'  "  History  of  Man  in  Ohio:  A  Panorama."  An  address  delivered  at 
Norwalk,  Ohio,  before  the  Firelands  Historical  Society,  on  the  25th  of 
June,  iSgo,  by  Hon.  C.  C.  Baldwin.  Western  Reserve  Historical  Society's 
Tract  No.  80,  p.  259. 

2  The  great  ice  sheet,  that  covered  all  this  section,  made,  at  the  point 
where  Cincinnati  now  stands,  a  dam  five  or  six  hundred  feet  high,  making 
a  lake  which  its  discoverer,  Prof.  G.  F.  Wright,  of  Oberlin,  Ohio,  called 
"Lake  Ohio." 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


pounded  but  not  cast,  and  galena  not  melted  to  lead, 
though  both  were  sometimes  placed  on  funeral  pyres,  un- 
glazed  pottery,  no  burned  bricks,  no  stone  buildings; 
usinof  baskets  to  carry  dirt,  making  a  very  coarse  cloth  or 
matting,  haying  no  alphabet ;  they  must  haye  been  indus- 
trious and  agricultural  or  they  could  not  haye  built  such 
immense  works.  Liying  mainly  on  corn,  with  a  goyern- 
ment  strong  enough  to  combine  them  patiently,  probably 
through  priestly  superstition,  their  ciyilization  was  not 
hio-her  than  some  Indians  when  America  was  discovered. 
•  •  There  is  no  satisfactory  evidence  of  any  in- 
termediate race  between  the  Mound  Builders  and  the 
modern  northern  Indians."'^ 

There  is  a  wide  space  to  travel,  between  the  writing  of 
these  records  upon  the  rocks  or  their  burial  beneath  the 
soil,  and  those  left  in  oral  relation  or  script  by  men  of 
whose  existence  we  are  certain,  and  whose  labors  can  be 
historically  recorded.  Among  the  earliest  glimmers  of 
knowledge  of  the  movements  of  the  white  man  upon  this 
southern  shore  of  Lake  Erie  may  be  placed  the  visit  of 
Father  La  Roche  Daillon,  a  Recollect  missionary,  who  as 
early  as  1626  preached  to  an  aboriginal  people,  by  some 
called  the  Kakquahs,  and  by  the  French  the  "  Neuter  Na- 
tion." The  headquarters  of  this  tribe,  or  nation,  were 
probably  upon  the  north  shore  of  Erie,  although  they 
had  villages  near  the  present  site  of  Buffalo,  and  extend- 
ing westward  along  the  shore  of  the  lake.  Such  informa- 
tion, as  this  Father  has  left  us,  leads  to  the  belief  that,  at 
that  time,  the  southern  shore  of  Lake  Erie,  say  from  Cat- 

^  "  Standing  beside  some  of  their  remarkable  earthworks,  a  glamour  of 
admiration  leads  us  to  picture,  in  imagination,  a  departed  race,  learned 
in  all  the  highest  arts  of  civilization.  But  under  the  careful  study  of  their 
remains  the  picture  vanishes,  and  leaves  in  its  place  that  of  a  patient, 
plodding  people,  with  poor  appliances,  struggling  towards  civilization 
while  still  on  the  confines  of  barbarism.  •  •  •  •  If  it  is  asked  of  what 
race  were  these  Mound  Builders,  it  now  can  only  be  said  they  were 
one  of  the  native  American  races,  closely  allied  to  the  hunting  Indians, 
and  probably  a  branch  of  the  same  race." — "Archaeology  of  Ohio,"  by 
Professor  M.  C.  Read,  of  the  Geological  Survey  of  Ohio.  Western  Re- 
serve Historical  Society's  Collections,  Vol.  III.,  Tract  No.  73,  p.  in. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  s 

taraugns  Creek,  in  New  York,  to  near  Sandusky  Bay, 
Ohio,  was  occupied  by  a  powerful  tribe  known  as  the 
Erie/  In  blood,  they  were  kindred  to  the  Iroquois,  a 
fierce  and  implacable  foe,  who,  near  1650,  waged  war 
upon  the  Kakquahs,  and  followed  this  by  a  warfare  so 
fierce  and  merciless  upon  the  Eries  that  they  were  prac- 
tically swept  from  the  face  of  the  earth.  Whole  families 
were  slaughtered,  and  villages  burned  to  the  ground; 
some  who  escaped  joined  the  tribes  of  the  farther  West; 
children  were  captured  and  held  for  adoption,  and  war- 
riors, who  were  taken  in  battle,  were  reserved  for  torture. 

This  sudden  and  savage 
extinction  of  the  Eries  left 
northeastern  Ohio  in  the 
hands  of  the  powerful  Iro- 
q  u  o  i  s  .  Their  western 
boundary  was  set  along 
the  Cuyahoga,  while  their 
war  parties  made  occasion- 
al excursions  beyond. 

There    is    little   definite 
information  as  to  the  year 
in  which  the  French  trad- 
ers   appeared    among    the 
Indian  tribes   of  this  sec- 
tion.      There  is   evidence   to   show  that  that  remarkable 
explorer  and   adventurer.    La  vSalle,   was  in    the  country 
south  of  the    Erie  as  early  as   1669;  discovered  the  Ohio 
River, ^  and  passed  down  it  as   far  as  the   site  of  Louis- 

■•  The  following,  from  Day's  "  Historical  Collections  of  Pennsylvania," 
p.  310,  will  throw  some  light  upon  the  meaning  of  this  name:  "The 
Eries,  or  Irri-ronon,  a  powerful  and  war-like  race  inhabiting  the  south 
side  of  the  beautiful  lake  which  still  bears  their  name — almost  the  only 
memento  that  such  a  nation  ever  existed — a  name  signifying  cats,  which 
they  had  adopted  as  characteristic  of  their  tribe." 

^  "  The  River  Ohio,  otherwise  called  the  Beautiful  River,  and  its  tribu- 
taries belong  indisputably  to  France,  by  virtue  of  its  discovery,  by  the 
Sieur  de  la  Salle,  and  of  the  trading  posts  the  French  have  had  there 
since." — Instructions  to  M.  Duquesne,  Paris,  1752;  see  Colonial  Documents 
of  New  York,  Vol.  X.,  p.  243.      "  It  is  only  since  the  last  war  that  the  Eng- 


LA    SALI.E. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


ville,  where  he  was  abandoned  by  his  men,  and  com- 
pelled to  return  home  alone.  There  is  a  map,  of  which 
there  is  some  evidence  to  show  that  he  was  the  author, 
bearing  the  date  1672,  where  the  fair  body  of  water  to 
the  north  of  us  is  called  "  Lake  Tejocharonting,  com- 
monly called  Lake  Erie." 

We  begin  to  tread  upon  firmer  ground,  in  considering 
the  records  of  but  a  few  years  later.  In  1678,  La  Salle 
was  commissioned  by  Louis  XIV.  of  France  to  explore 
that  part  of  the  western  wilderness  of  America  called 
"  New  France."  His  purpose  was  threefold:  "  To 
realize  the  old  plan  of  Champlain,  the  finding  of  a  path- 
way to  China  across  the  American  continent.  To  occupy 
and  develop  the  regions  of  the  northern  lakes.  To  de- 
scend the  Mississippi  River  and  establish  a  fortified  post 
at  its  mouth,  thus  securing  an  outlet  for  the  trade  of  the 
interior,  and  checking  the  progress  of  vSpain  on  the  Gulf 
of  Mexico." 

In  the  early  part  of  1679,  ^^  built  above  the  falls  of  the 
Niagara  a  vessel  of  sixty  tons,  which  he  named  the 
"  Griffin,"  and  in  which  he  sailed  out  into  the  waters  of 
the  Erie.  Shipwreck  and  disaster  were  the  fate  of  this 
first  vessel  of  the  white  man  to  spread  her  sails  upon  these 
inland  seas.  She  reached  Green  Bay,  where  La  Salle  and 
some  of  his  lieutenants  left  her,  was  loaded  with  furs,  set 
out  upon  her  return  trip,  and  was  never  heard  of  again." 

lish  have  set  up  claims  to  the  territory  on  the  Beautiful  River,  the  posses- 
sion whereof  has  never  been  disputed  to  the  French,  who  have  always  re- 
sorted to  that  river  ever  since  it  was  discovered  by  Sieur  de  la  Salle." — 
Instructions  toVaudreuil,  Versailles,  April,  1755;  i^ee  Colonial  Documents, 
Vol.  X.,  p.  293.  Two  local  historians  of  high  repute  incline  quite  strongly 
to  the  theory  of  this  discovery.  Says  Col.  Charles  Whittlesey:  "  No  one 
has  set  up  against  him  a  rival  claim  to  the  discovery  of  the  Ohio.  His 
heirs,  his  admirers,  and  his  countrymen  should  cherish  the  memory  of 
that  discovery  as  the  most  wonderful  of  his  exploits."  Western  Re- 
serve Historical  Society's  Tract  No.  38,  p.  12.  Charles  C.  Baldwin  adds: 
"  La  Salle  entered  the  Ohio  near  or  ait  one  of  its  sources,  I  believe  at  Lake 
Chautauqua,  six  or  seven  leagues  below  Lake  Erie,  and  followed  it  to 
Louisville."     Western  Reserve  Historical  Society's  Tract  No.  63,  p.  328. 

«  "Many  historians  infer  that  La  .Salle  passed  through  northern  Ohio 
from  the  Illinois  River  in  the  winter  of  1682-83.     That  he  made  a  journey 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


Durine  the  years  in  ^vhich  the  French  and  Entrlish  car- 
ried  on  their  long  dispute  as  to  the  ownership  of  this  por- 
tion of  the  West,  that  part  east  of  the  Cuyahoga  remained 
in  possession  of  the  Six  Nations,  who  used  it  as  a  hunting 
ofround ;  while  that  to  the  west  of  the  stream  was  in  the 
main  under  the  control  of  the  Ottawas,  Chippewas  and 
Pottawattomies,  their  only  white  yisitors  being  an  occa- 
sional French  or  English  fur-trader,  or  a  zealous  Jesuit 
missionar}',  who  had  brayed  the  manifold  dangers  of  the 
yenture  for  the  adyancement  of  his  faith. 

For  the  better  understanding  of  that  which  immediately 
follows,  it  will  be  necessary  to  bear  in  mind  the  fact  that 
at  the  beginning  of  the  Eighteenth  Century  there  were 
three  great  European  powers  who  claimed  possessions  in 
North  America.  Spain  was  the  master  of  Mexico  and  of 
a  portion  of  the  southeast  corner  of  the  United  States ; 
France  held  all  to  the  north  of  the  lakes,  west  of  the 
Alleghanies,  and  southward  to  the  possessions  of  Spain ; 
while  England's  claims  went  from  the  Spanish  line  on 
the  south  to  the  northern  lakes  and  the  St.  Lawrence, 
and  westward  to  the  Alleghanies.  These  are  the  gen- 
eral outlines.  There  were  disputes  in  seyeral  directions 
as  to  boundary  lines,  which  in  many  cases  were  but 
faintly  outlined. 

In  1 7 14,  Goyernor  Spotswood,  of  Virginia,  led  an  ex- 
pedition which  disproyed  the  general  belief  that  the 
Alleghanies  were  impassable.  He  passed  the  chain 
and   descended  to   the    Ohio."     Upon   his   return    he   in- 

by  land  from  Crevecoeur  to  Quebec  in  that  winter,  cannot  be  doubted,  but 
there  is  no  proof  on  which  side  of  Lake  Erie  he  traveled.  It  is  far  more 
probable  that  he  avoided  the  hostile  Iroquois,  and  bearing  northward 
crossed  the  Detroit  River,  where  the  Indians  were  friendly  to  the 
French."  "  Early  History  of  Cleveland,"  by  Col.  Charles  Whittle- 
sey, p.  51. 

"  A  touch  of  romance  comes  m  here.  Upon  his  return,  this  gallant  gov- 
ernor "  established  the  Transmontane  Order,  or  Knights  of  the  Golden 
Horse  Shoe.  On  the  sandy  plams  of  Eastern  Virginia  horseshoes  were 
rarely  used ;  but  m  climbing  the  mountains  he  had  found  them  necessary ; 
and  on  creating  his  companions  knights  of  this  new  order,  he  gave  to  each 
a  golden  horseshoe  inscribed  with  the  motto,  '  Sic  jurat  transcendere 
montes. '  "     Western  Reserve  Historical  Society,  Tract  No.  20,  p.  5. 


8  7  H/i    HIS  TORY  O  F  CL  E I  'EL  A  ND. 


formed  those  who  were  his  superiors  in  authority,  the 
British  Ministry,  that  the  planting  of  a  settlement  in  the 
western  valley  was  a  matter  of  great  importance,  and  that 
England's  interest  did  not  lie  in  permitting  France  to 
hold  it  in  undisputed  possession. 

England  moved  forward  in  her  conquests,  slowly  but 
surely.  vShe  gained  the  friendship  of  the  great  Iroquois 
Confederacy — the  most  powerful  organization  of  Indian 
tribes  in  the  New  World — who  were  in  possession  of  the 
southern  shores  of  Lakes  Erie  and  Ontario.*  ^lany  treaties 
were  made  with  these  confederated  tribes  during  the  first 
half  of  the  Eighteenth  Century,  and  grants  of  lands  of 
great  value  were  obtained  on  the  eastern  slope  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi Valley. 

It  was  near  the  middle  of  that  century  when  England 
acted  upon  the  wise  advice  of  her  Virginian  governor.  An 
organization  known  as  "  The  Ohio  Company  "  was 
created  in  1748,  which  received  a  royal  grant  of  one  half 
million  acres  of  land  in  the  valley  of  the  Ohio.  The  en- 
deavors of  this  company  to  obtain  and  hold  secure  their 
new  possessions  continued  for  years,  and  form  a  chapter 
of  absorbing  interest  in  the  history  of  Ohio,  but  have  no 
direct  connection  with  the  valley  of  the  Cuyahoga. 

A  long  step  toward  the  secure  possession  of  this  great 
empire  of  the  West  was  taken  when,  by  the  treaty  of 
Paris,  made  in  1763,  England  acquired  Canada  and  all  the 
territory  east  of  the  Mississippi  and  southward  to  the 
Spanish  Territory,  with  the  exception  of  New  Orleans 
and  its  immediate  vicinity.      This  was  followed,  in  1768, 

**  "  The  occupation  of  Ohio,  from  the  French  war  to  the  Revolution,  was 
as  follows:  The  general  western  limits  of  the  Iroquois  proper  was  a  line 
running  through  the  counties  of  Belmont,  Harrison,  Tuscarawas,  Stark, 
Summit,  and  Cuyahoga.  The  Delawares  occupied  the  valley  of  the 
Muskingum,  their  northern  line  running  through  Richland,  Ashland,  and 
Wayne ;  the  Shawnees  the  valley  of  the  Scioto,  the  northern  line  being  a 
little  lower  than  the  Delawares;  the  last  two  tribes  occupying  as  tenants 
of  the  Iroquois.  It  will  thus  be  seen  that  the  Iroquois  had  not  only  ad- 
mitted sovereignty,  but  actual  legal  occupancy  of  the  greater  part  of 
Ohio."— "  The  Iroquois  in  Ohio,"  by  C.  C.  Baldwin.  Western  Reserve 
Historical  Society,  Tract  No.  40,  p.  28. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


by  a  treaty  at  Fort  Stanwix,  between  Sir  William  John- 
son and  the  Six  Nations,  by  which  the  lands  south  of  the 
Ohio  and  the  Alleghany  were  sold  to  the  British,  the  In- 
dians still  retaining  those  north  and  west  of  these  rivers. 
The  w^hite  men  who  ventured  into  the  lands  to  the 
south  of  Lake  Erie  and  west  of  the  x\lleghanies,  previous 
to  the  organized  attempts  at  settlement  made  to  the  south 
by  the  Ohio  Company  and  to  the  north  by  the  Connecti- 
cut Land  Company,  have  left  few  traces  by  which  their 
purposes  can  be  clearly  understood,  or  their  movements 
closely  followed.  The  hardy  and  venturesome  trader, 
both  English  and  French,  who  pushed  into  the  wilder- 
ness, and  carried  the  products  of  civilization  to  exchange 
for  those  of  the  chase,  reached  the  mouth  of  the  Cuya- 
hoga at  an  early  day.  The  French  extended  their  forts 
and  trading  posts  to  many  points  on  the  lakes  and  the 
Ohio  River,  between  1700  and  1750.  In  this  year  last 
named  they  possessed  a  fort  at  Sandusky,  and  five  years 
later  a  trading  house  on  the  Cuyahoga,  near  the  mouth 
of  Tinker's  Creek.  The  winter  of  1755-6  was  spent  by 
James  Smith,  a  Pennsylvanian,  in  this  neighborhood,  as  a 
prisoner  of  the  Delawares,  and  in  a  narrative  which  he 
penned  the  sections  watered  by  the  Cuyahoga,  the  Black 
and  the  Kilbuck  rivers  are  fully  described.  Near  the 
same  time  a  white  girl  named  Mary  Campbell  passed  five 
years  in  a  like  captivity  near  the  Cuyahoga  falls,  not  far 
from  the  site  of  Akron.  In  commenting  upon  the  early 
traders  who  pushed  forward  to  this  neighborhood.  Colonel 
Charles  Whittlesey  says :  ' '  After  the  British  took  posses- 
sion in  1760,  French  and  English  traders  continued  to- 
gether to  traffic  with  the  Indians  on  the  waters  of  Lake 
Erie.  No  doubt  a  post  was  kept  up  at  some  point  or 
points  on  the  river  during  a  large  part  of  the  Eighteenth 
Century,  but  such  establishments  are  so  slight  and  tem- 
porary that  they  are  seldom  noticed  in  history.  A  trad- 
ing house  is  a  very  transient  affair.  A  small  log  cabin 
covered  with  bark  constituted  all  of  what  is  designated  as 
an  establishment.     If  the  Indian  customers  remove,  the 


lo  THE  HJS1\)RV  OF  CLEl'ELAXD. 


trader  follows  them,  abandons  his  cabin,  and  constructs 
another  at  a  more  convenient  place.  Within  a  year  the 
deserted  hut  is  burned  to  the  ground,  and  all  that  remains 
is  a  vacancy  of  an  acre  or  two  in  the  forest  crrv-ered  with 
grass,  weeds,  briers  and  bushes.'"''  In  1760,  Major  Rob- 
ert Rogers,  in  command  of  a  New  Hampshire  company  of 
Provincial  Rangers,  left  Fort  Niagara  to  take  possession 
of  the  French  post.  According  to  one  eminent  historian,^" 
they  paid  a  visit  to  this  place  :  ' '  On  the  7th  of  November, 
1760,  thev  reached  the  mouth  of  the  Cuyahoga  River,  the 
present  site  of  Cleveland.  No  body  of  British  troops  had 
ever  advanced  so  far.  The  day  was  dull  and  rainy,  and, 
resolving  to  rest  until  the  weather  should  improve,  Rog- 
ers ordered  his  men  to  prepare  their  camp  in  the  neigh- 
boring forest.  The  place  has  seen  strange  changes  since 
that  day.  Soon  after  the  arrival  of  the  Rangers,  a  party 
of  Indian  chiefs  and  warriors  entered  the  camp.  They 
proclaimed  themselves  an  embassy  from  Pontiac,  ruler  of 
all  that  countrv,  and  directed  in  his  name  that  the  Eng- 
lish should  advance  no  further  until  they  had  had  an  in- 
terview with  the  great  chief,  who  was  close  at  hand.  He 
greeted  Rogers  with  the  haughty  demand,  what  his  busi- 
ness was  in  that  countrv.  and  how  he  dared  enter  it  with- 
out his  permission."  After  parleying  and  presents,  the 
objection  was  withdrawn.  In  the.opini(>n  of  Col.  Whittle- 
sey, this  reported  interview  did  not  occur  here  at  all,  but 
at  Grand  River.  An  expedition  sent  out  under  Alajor 
Wilkins,  in  1763,  was  wrecked  on  Lake  Erie  near  the  Cuya- 
hoga, or  Rockv  River,  and  was  so  disorganized  that  it 
had  to  return ;  while  yet  another  under  Col.  Bradstreet 
(1764)  is  supposed  to  have  passed  through  this  neighbor- 
hood. 

Sir  William  Johnson,  the  superintendent  of  Indian 
affairs,  paid  a  visit  to  Detroit  in  1761,  after  the  English 
had  obtained  possession  of  that  place,  and  returned  home 
by   way   of    the   south    shore;  in  his  diary   we   find  this 

^  Whittlesey's  "  Early  History  of  Cleveland,"  p.  131. 
'"  Parkman's  "  Conspiracy  of  Pontiac,"  pp.  147-14S. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  ii 


record:  "  Embarked  this  morning  at  six  of  ye  clock,  and 
intend  to  beach  near  Cuyahoga  this  day." 

As  early  as  1765  the  practical  eye  of  Benjamin  Frank- 
lin, as  he  scanned  the  crude  maps  of  the  Western  coun- 
try, and  listened  to  those  who  had  visited  it,  showed  him 
the  advantages  of  the  Cuyahoga  as  a  military  post,  and 
he  recommended  its  occupancy  for  that  purpose.  Wash- 
ington himself,  in  discussing  the  question  of  water  com- 
munication between  the  northern  lakes  and  Chesapeake 
Bay,  suggested  "  the  practicability  of  a  route  from  Lake 
Erie  by  way  of  the  Cuyahoga.  Tuscarawas  and  Muskingum 
into  the  Ohio,  as  an  (nitlet  to  the  future  inland  commerce 
of  the  lakes,"  necessitating  "a  portage  near  Akron  of  less 
than  seven  miles,  whereby  shipments  were  to  be  trans- 
ferred from  the  lakes  to  the  river  Ohio,  thence  to  ascend 
its  upper  tributaries  into  the  mountains,  from  whence,  by 
another  portage,  would  be  reached  the  navigable  rivers 
falling  into  the  Atlantic. "" 

In  the  fall  of  1782,  the  mouth  of  the  Cuyahoga  again 
appeared  in  the  discussions  of  the  military  authorities,  and 
there  occurred  an  incident  of  travel  and  suffering  in  an 
endeavor  to  reach  it,  that  so  well  illustrates  the  conditions 
then  existing,  that  I  am  led  to  relate  it  with  some  detail. 
The  newlv-created  American  Government  had  learned 
that  the  British  had  established  a  military  post  at  San- 
dusky, and  were  about  to  build  another,  either  at  Cuya- 
hoga or  Grand  River.  Major  Isaac  Craig,  of  the  Revolu- 
tionary Army,  was  ordered  to  take  Lieutenant  Rose  and 
six  active  men,  visit  the  two  points  last  named,  and  learn 
"  whether  any  such  attempts  were  making  by  the  en- 
emy. 

The  little  party  set  forth  from  Fort  Pitt  ( Pittsburg)  upon 
its  long  and  perilous  journey,  near  the  middle  of  Novem- 
ber, in  the  year  named.      They  reached  a  point  they  sup- 

"  Historical    Address     by    Samuel     E.    Adams,    Esq.,  "Annals  of  the 
Early  Settlers'  Association  of  Cuyahoga  County,"  No.  i,  p.  19. 

'-  From  the  privately  printed  life  of  Major  Isaac  Craig.     Western  Re- 
serve Historical  Society,  Tract  No.  22.  p.  4. 


12  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

posed  to  be  within  a  day's  march  of  the  Cuyahoga,   and 
there  left  one  man  in  charge  of  their  extra  provisions,  it 
being  their  intention,  upon  rejoining  him,  to  take  a  fresh 
supply  and  then  proceed  to  a  like  visit  to  the  mouth  of  the 
Grand.     We  quote   from  the    narrative   as   learned   from 
]\Iajor  Craig:     "  The    weather   proved   very  unfavorable 
after  the  separation ;  the   Major,  with  his  party,  was  de- 
tained beyond  the  appointed  time,  and  the  soldier  with 
the  horse  had  disappeared,  so  that  when  they  reached  the 
designated  place,  weary  and  half -famished,  they  found  no 
relief,  and  had  before  them  a  journey  of  more  than  one  hun- 
dred miles,  through  a  hostile  wilderness.     The  examina- 
tion of  Grand  River  had  of  course  to  be  abandoned,  and 
the   party  was   compelled  to    hasten    back    to    Fort  Pitt. 
The  travel  back  was  laborious  and  painful,  the  weather 
being  tempestuous  and  variable.     The  party  pursued  the 
most  direct  course  homeward.      Before  they  reached  the 
Conequenessing,    near   about,   as    Major    Craig   thought, 
where  Old  Harmony  now  stands,  the  weather  became  ex- 
tremely cold,  and  they  found  that  stream  frozen  over,  but 
the  ice  not  sufficiently  firm  to  bear  the  weight  of  a  inan. 
The  following  expedient  was  then  resorted  to  as  the  best 
the  circumstances  allowed :    A  large  fire  was  kindled  on  the 
northern   bank  of  the  Conequenessing,  and  w^hen  it  w^as 
burning  freely,  the  party  stripped  off  their  clothes;  one 
man   took  a  heavy  bludgeon   in   his  hands  to  break  the 
way,  while   each  of  the  others  followed  with  portions  of 
the  clothing,  and  arms  in   one  hand  and  a  fire-brand  in 
the   other.     Upon   reaching  the    southern    bank    of    the 
stream,  these  brands  were  placed  together  and  a  brisk  fire 
soon  raised,  by  which  the   party  dressed  themselves  and 
then  resumed  their  toilsome  march.      Upon   reaching  the 
Cranberry  plains,  they  were  delighted  to  find  encamped 
there    a    hunting    party    consisting    of     Captain     Uriah 
Springer  and  other  officers,  and  some  soldiers  from  the 
fort.      There,  of  course,  they  were  welcomed  and   kindly 
treated,  and  arrived  at  the  fort  on  the  evening  of  the  sec- 
ond of  December.     The  report  of  Major  Craig  was  that 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


13 


there  was  no  sign  of  occupancy  at  the  mouth  of  the  Cuy- 
ahoga." 

The  residence  of  the  Moravian  missionaries  '^  and 
their  followers  within  the  present  boundaries  of  Cuy- 
ahoga County  was  brief  and  unimportant,  except  as  a 
chapter  in  the  long,  sad  story  of  that  driven  and  perse- 
cuted people.  When  the  "  praying  "  Indians  and  their 
white  leaders  decided  to  leave  their  temporary  home  in 
Michigan,  they  determined,  in  May,  1786,  to  "plant  a 
settlement  ' '  on  the  Cuyahoga  River,  and  after  much  toil 
and  many  disasters  reached  a  point  upon  its  eastern  bank, 
a  short  distance  below  the  mouth  of  Tinker's  Creek.  To 
this  location  they  gave  the  name  "  Pilgerruh,"  or  "  Pil- 
grim's Rest."  Bv  October  they  had  so  far  completed 
their  village  as  to  give  them  comfortable  shelter  for  the 
winter.  In  the  spring  of  1787,  they  prepared  to  move  west- 
ward, to  the  mouth  of  Black  River,  and  on  April  19th  the 
last  prayer  was  heard  in  their  little  chapel  at  "  Pilgrim's 
Rest,"  after  which  they 
commenced  anew  the  jour- 
neyings,  some  going  over- 
land, and  others  in  canoes 
by  way  of  the  Cuyahoga 
and  Lake  Erie.  Very  little 
in  the  way  of  detail  touch- 
ing the  experiences  o 
these  people  upon  oui 
home-soil  has  been  be- 
queathed to  us. 

There    is    in    existence, 
however,   among  the   rich  rev.  john  heckewelder. 

possessions   of    the  West- 
ern Reserve  Historical  Society — presented  by  a  daughter 
of  Moses  Cleaveland — a  map  and  a  manuscript  descriptive 
of  the   same,  prepared  in  1796  by  the  Rev.  John  Hecke- 

1^  These  zealous  people  derived  their  name  from  Moravia,  a  province  of 
Austria,  and  were  originally  organized  under  the  name  of  the  Unitas 
Fratrum  or  United  Brethren.  They  were  moved  with  an  especial  desire 
to  convert  the  Indians  of  North  America. 


14  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


welder,  a  leading  Moravian  missionary,  who  came  to  the 
Cuyahoga  valley  with  his  people,  but  left  them  before  the 
opening  of  the  winter.  This  map  covers  the  country 
from  the  Alleghany  River  on  the  east,  the  Ohio  on  the 
south,  the  lake  on  the  north,  and  the  Huron  and  Mus- 
kingum on  the  west,  and  is,  of  course,  crude  and  uncertain 
in  both  outlines  and  details.  His  manuscript  bears  the 
heading :  '  *  Description  of  that  part  of  the  Western  Coun- 
try comprehended  in  my  map ;  with  remarks  on  certain 
particular  spots,  etc. ' '  We  quote  some  of  these  remarks, 
as  follows: 

"  Altho  the  country  in  general  containeth  both  Arable 
Land  &  good  Pasturage :  yet  there  are  particular  Spots  far 
preferable  to  others:  not  only  on  account  of  the  Land 
being  here  superior  in  quality :  but  also  on  account  of  the 
many  advantages  presenting  themselves. 

• '  As  the  first  place  of  utility  between  the  Pennsylvania 
Line:  (yea  I  may  say  between  Presq'  Isle)  and  Cujahaga; 
&  in  an  East  and  West  course  as  the  dividing  Ridge  runs 
between  the  Rivers  which  empty  into  the  Lake  Erie ;  & 
those  Rivers  or  Creeks  which  empty  into  the  Ohio :  (& 
which  Ridge  I  suppose  runs  nearly  Paralell  with  this 
Lake,  &  is  nearly  or  about  50  miles  distance  from  the 
same ) :  Cujahaga  certainly  stands  foremost ;  &  that  for  the 
following  reasons. 

"  I.  because  it  admits  small  Sloops  into  its  mouth  from 
the  Lake,  and  affords  them  a  good  Harbour. 

"2.  because  it  is  Navigable  at  all  times  with  Canoes  to 
the  Falls,  a  distance  of  upwards  of  60  Miles  by  Water — 
and  with  Boats  at  some  Seasons  of  the  Year  to  that  place 
— and  may  without  any  great  Expense  be  made  Navigable 
for  Boats  that  distance  at  all  times. 

"3-  because  there  is  the  best  prospect  of  Water  com- 
munication from  Lake  Erie  into  the  Ohio,  by  way  of  Cuja- 
haga &  Muskingum  Rivers ;  The  carrying  place  being  the 
shortest  of  all  carrying  places,  which  interlock  with  each 
other,  &  at  most  not  above  4  miles. 

"  4.   because  of  the  Fishery  which    may  be   erected  at 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAXD.  13 

its  mouth,  a  place  to  which  the  White  Fish  of  the  Lake 
resort  in  the  vSpring,  in  order  to  Spawn. 

"5.  because  there  is  a  great  deal  of  Land  of  the  first 
Quality  on  this  River. 

"6.  because  not  only  the  River  itself,  has  a  clear  & 
lively  current,  but  all  Waters  &  Springs  emptying  in  the 
same,  prove  by  their  clearness  &  current,  that  it  must  be 
a  health V  Countrv  in  general. 

"  7.  because  one  principle  Land  Road,  not  only  from 
the  Allegheny  River  &  French  Creek :  but  also  from  Pitts- 
burg will  pass  thro  that  Country  to  Detroit,  it  being  by 
far  the  most  level  Land  path  to  that  place." 

In  further  description  of  this  wonderful  section  that  has 
so  captivated  the  eye  of  this  visitor  and  laid  its  impress 
upon  his  judgment,  Mr.  Heckewelder  adds  that  the 
"  Land  on  the  Cujahaga  River  itself  is  good,  and  well 
Timbered  either  with  Oaks  &  Hickory,  or  with  lofty 
Chestnuts.  The  Cujahaga  Country  abounds  in  Game, 
such  as  Elk,  Deer,  Turkey,  Raccoons  &c."  In  conclusion 
he  inserts  "  the  description  the  late  Geographer  to  the 
United  vStates  gives  to  this  part  of  the  Coimtry,  copied 
from  a  Pamphlet  he  had  printed  in  London  in  the  year 
1778  " — the  main  point  of  w^hich  is  the  statement  that 
"  Cujahaga  will  hereafter  be  a  place  of  great  impor- 
tance." 

Well,  indeed,  has  that  prophecy,  made  eighteen  years 
before  Moses  Cleaveland  set  foot  upon  this  soil,  been  ful- 
filled. 

Mention  of  this  Moravian  town  is  made  by  a  traveler 
who  visited  the  Cuyahoga  in  1786.  Col.  James  Hillman, 
of  Youngstown,  Ohio,  in  writing  to  Judge  Barr,  under 
date  of  November  23rd,  1843,  says:  "  In  the  spring  of  1786 
Messrs.  Duncan  &  Wilson  entered  into  a  contract  with 
Messrs.  Caldwell  &  Elliott,  of  Detroit,  to  deliver  a  quan- 
tity of  flour  and  bacon  at  the  mouth  of  the  Cuyahoga 
River,  to  a  man  by  the  name  of  James  Hawder,  an  Eng- 
lishman, who  had  a  tent  at  the  mouth  of  the  river,  for  the 
purpose  of  receiving  it.      In  May,    1786,  I   engaged  with 


i6  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAXD. 


Duncan  &  Wilson,  at  Pittsburgh,  as  a  packhorseman.  and 
started  immediately.  We  took  the  Indian  trail  for  San- 
dusky, until  we  arrived  at  the  Standing  Stone,  on  the 
Cuyahoga,  a  little  below  the  mouth  of  Breakneck  Creek, 
where  the  village  of  Franklin  is  now.  There  we  left  the 
Sandusky  trail,  and  took  one  direct  to  the  mouth  of 
Tinker's  Creek,  where  was  a  little  town  built  by  Hecke- 
welder  and  Zersberger,  with  a  number  of  Moravian  In- 
dians. They  were  Moravian  preachers.  Here  we  crossed 
the  Cuvahoga.  and  went  down  on  the  west  side  to  the 
mouth.  In  going  down  we  passed  a  small  log  trading 
house,  where  one  Meginnes  traded  with  the  Indians. 
•  •  •  The  mouth  of  the  Cuyahoga  was  then  about  the 
same  as  when  I  last  saw  it.  in  i8 13.  In  1786.  there  was  a 
pond  of  water  west  of  the  mouth,  which  we  called  Sun 
Fish  Pond,  where  Ave  caught  sun  fish.  We  carried  axes 
to  cut  our  wood,  and  I  remember  we  at  one  time  under- 
took to  open  the  mouth  of  the  river,  which  was  choked  up 
with  sand.  We  made  wooden  shovels,  and  began  to  dig 
awav  the  sand  until  the  water  ran  through,  which  took 
away  the  sand  so  fa.st  that  our  party  was  divided,  a  por- 
tion beinor  left  on  the  east  side,  where  Cleveland  now  is. 
•  AVe  made  collars  of  our  blankets  for  some  of  the 
horses,  and  took  our  tent  ropes,  made  of  raw  elk  skin,  for 
tugs,  drew  small  logs  and  built  a  hut  at  the  spring,  which 
I  believe  was  the  first  house  built  on  the  Cleveland  side." 

No  mention  of  this  house  is  made  by  the  surveyors  who 
came  with  General  Cleaveland. 

A  little  later  glance  at  the  physical  outline  of  the  Cuy- 
ahoga valley  may  be  taken  before  passing  on  to  the  real 
narrative  of  the  founding  and  building  of  Cleveland.  A 
traveler"  writing  as  late  as  1805,  when  the  early  settlers 
were  already  in  possession,  says:  "  The  Cuyahoga  empties 
into  Lake  Erie  by  a  mouth  eighty-eight  yards  wide,  and  is 

'■>"  Journal  of  a  Tour  into  the  Territory  Northwest  of  the  Alleghany 
Mountains,  made  in  the  Spring  of  the  year  1803,"  by  Thaddeus  Mason 
Harris.  A.  M..  member  of  the  Massachusetts  Historical  Society,  Boston, 
i5o5,  p.  113. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAXD.  17 

navigable  for  sloops  for  fifteen  miles  without  any  falls  or 
swift  water :  but  there  is  a  bar  at  the  mouth  like  that  of 
Grand  river.  In  high  water  it  is  boatable  sixty  miles  to 
the  portage,  which  is  seven  and  an  half  miles,  to  the  head 
waters  of  the  Tuscarawa  branch  of  the  Muskingum.  Here 
are  fine  uplands,  extensive  meadows,  oak  and  mulberry 
trees  fit  for  ship  building,  and  walnut,  chestnut  and  pop- 
lar trees  suitable  for  domestic  services.  Xear  the  mouth 
of  this  river  are  the  celebrated  rocks  which  project  over 
the  lake.  Thev  are  several  miles  in  length,  and  rise 
forty  or  fifty  feet  perpendicular  out  of  the  water.  Some 
parts  of  them  consist  of  several  strata  of  different  colors, 
lying  in  a  horizontal  direction,  and  so  exactly  paralell 
that  they  resemble  the  work  of  art.  The  view  from  the 
land  is  grand,  but  the  water  presents  the  most  magnifi- 
cent prospect  of  this  sublime  work  of  nature:  it  is  at- 
tended, however,  with  great  danger,  for.  if  the  least  storm 
arises,  the  force  of  the  surf  is  such  that  no  vessel  can 
escape  being  dashed  to  pieces  against  the  rocks.  The 
heathen  Indians,  when  they  pass  this  impending  danger, 
offer  a  sacrifice  of  tobacco  to  the  water. 

When  the  War  of  the  Revolution  ended  in  the  tri- 
umphant success  of  the  colonies,  and  civilization  began  to 
push  westward  with  a  new  vigor,  conflicting  claims  arose 
as  to  the  ownership  of  various  portions  of  the  West." 
This  portion  of  the  lake  region  was  included  with  the  rest. 
Years  before,  while  Connecticut  was  still  a  colony  of  Eng- 
land, she  had  acquired  by  grant  from  King  Charles  II.  a 
great  range  of  territory  lying  between  the  same  parallels 
as  those  which  bounded  herself  and  extending  * '  from  sea 
to  sea  " — from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific.  When  she  be- 
came a  State  of  the  American  Union  she  held  to  her  claim 

•'  Not  long  after  the  close  of  the  Revolution,  the  great  Western  countr\- 
was  divided  into  three  territories:  The  Territor\- of  the  Mississippi;  the 
Territory'  south  of  the  Ohio ;  the  Territory-  northwest  of  the  Ohio.  It  has 
been  well  said  that  ' '  it  would  be  difficult  to  find  any  country  so  covered 
with  conflicting  claims  of  title  as  the  Territory  of  the  Northwest."  West- 
ern Reser\-e  Historical  Society,   Tract  No.  20,  p.  3. 


*^//VK/I  JAPA/A/Sc/ 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  ig 

of  dominion  over  this  vast  territory.^"  That  portion  of 
this  claim  which  crossed  the  territory  of  New  York  and 
Pennsylvania  was  extinguished  by  agreement  among  the 
commonwealths  concerned,  while  that  west  of  Pennsyl- 
vania was  left  in  dispute  until  on  September  14th,  1786, 
when  she  ceded  it  all  to  the  United  States,"  except  that 
portion  lying  between  the  parallels  of  forty-one  and  forty- 
two  degrees,  two  minutes,  and  a  line  one  hundred  and 
twenty  miles  west  of  the  western  line  of  Pennsylvania, 
and  parallel  with  it.  This  tract  was  called  "  New  Con- 
necticut," or  the  Western  Reserve,  and  it  was  decided  to 
place  the  lands  upon  the  market. 

Some  steps  toward  the  purchase  of  that  portion  of  the 
Reserve  upon  which  Cleveland  stands  were  taken  in  1788, 
when  a  company  was  fonued  under  General  Samuel  H. 
Parsons,  who  located  a  tract  embracing  a  quarter  of  a 
township,  but  no  surveys  were  made  here  under  his  pat- 
ent. The  Legislature  of  Connecticut,  in  1792,  granted  to 
such  of  her  citizens  as  had  suffered  by  fire  or  otherwise, 
at  the  hands  of  the  British,  during  the  Revolution,  one 
half  million  acres  from  the  western  end  of  this  "  re- 
served "  tract,  and  that  section  was  thereafter  known  as 
''  The  Fire  Lands." 

^^  In  Tract  No.  32  of  the  Western  Reserve  Historical  Society,  Col. 
Whittlesey  discusses  at  considerable  length  the  ' '  Origin  of  Titles  ' '  to  the 
Western  Reserve,  giving  a  full  list  of  grants  and  conveyances  affecting 
the  same.  A  very  valuable  document  bearing  upon  this  subject  may  be 
found  in  the  American  State  Papers,  Public  Lands,  Vol.  XVI.,  p.  94,  in 
the  form  of  a  report  from  John  ^Marshall,  afterwards  Chief  Justice  of  the 
United  States,  to  the  House  of  Representatives,  on  March  21st,  1800,  on 
the  subject  of  title  to  the  Reserve.  It  was  made  in  view  of  the  action  then 
pending  in  Congress,  for  the  settlement  of  the  differences  between  Con- 
necticut and  the  United  States,  concerning  the  ownership  of  these  lands. 

1'  At  the  very  end  of  1798,  Uriah  Tracy,  a  Senator  from  Connecticut,  in- 
troduced a  measure  in  Congress  that,  after  reintroduction  and  amendment, 
became  a  law  in  April,  1800.  This  authorized  the  President  to  transfer  to 
Connecticut  the  legal  title  to  the  Reserve — thus  confirming  the  title  to  all 
who  had  purchased  from  that  State — on  condition  that  the  State  would 
reliniuish  all  claim  to  political  jurisdiction  over  the  same  section  of  ter- 
ritory in  favor  of  the  United  States.  This  agreement  was  carried  out,  and 
New  Connecticut  eventually  became  a  portion  of  Ohio.  (For  above  act, 
see  Annals  of  Congress  for  1800,  p.  1495.) 


20 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAXD. 


A  further  step  toward  the  disposal  of  her  Western  pos- 
sessions was  taken  by  Connecticut  in  May,  1795,  when  she 
appointed  a  committee  to  receive  any  proposals  that  might 
be  made  "  for  the  purchase  of  the  lands  belonging  to  this 
State  Ivino:  west  of  the  west  line  of  Pennsylvania  as 
claimed  by  said  State  •  •  •  to  form  and  complete 
any  contract  or  contracts  for  the  sale  of  said  lands." 
Eight  men,  representing  the  eight  counties  of  Connecti- 
cut, entered  into  contracts  with  various  individuals,  for 
the  sale  of  three  million  acres  of  the  Reserve,  for  one 
million  two  hundred  thousand  dollars,  or  a  cost  of  forty 
cents  per  acre.  These  deeds  were  quitclaims  only,  the 
State  guaranteeing  nothing  as  against  such  Indian  titles 
as  still  remained  unextinguished.^* 

The  holders  of  these  deeds  formed  themselves  into  an 
organization  called  the  "  Connecticut  Land  Company," 
and  for  convenience  in  the  transaction  of  business,  con- 
veyed their  respective  interests  to  three  trustees :  John 
Caldwell,  John  ]Morgan  and  Jonathan  Brace.  The  man- 
agement of  affairs  was  left  to  a  board  of  seven  directors : 
Oliver  Phelps,  Henr}'  Champion,  INIoses  Cleaveland, 
Samuel  W.  Johnson,  Ephraim  Kirby,  Samuel  Mather, 
Jr.,  and  Roger  Newbury. 

Elaborate  ' '  articles  of  association  and  agreement  ' '  were 
drawn  up.  The  annual  meetings  of  the  company  were  to 
be  held  in  Hartford,  Conn.,  in  October,  from  whence  the 
affairs  of  New  Connecticut  Avere  to  be  managed.  It  was 
determined  that  the  Indian  titles  should  be  extinguished, 
and  the  land  surveyed  into  townships  of  five  miles  square. 
The  proprietors  were  to  club  together,  and  draw  by  town- 
ships, after  which  the  owners  were  to  receive  deeds  and 
make  their  own  subdivisions.  In  the  first  draft,  $12,903.23 
of  purchase  money  represented  a  township. 

'"  "  With  the  exception  of  a  few  hundred  acres  previously  sold,  in  the 
neighborhood  of  the  Salt  Spring  Tract,  on  the  Mahoning,  all  titles  to  lands 
on  the  Reserve  east  of  the  Fire  Lands  rest  on  this  quitclaim  deed  of 
Connecticut  to  the  three  trustees,  who  were  all  living  as  late  as  1S36,  and 
joined  in  making  deeds  to  lands  on  the  Reserve."  Western  Reserve  His- 
torical Society,  Tract  No.  20,  p.  9. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  21 


The  next  thing  in  this  rapidly  moving  series  of  events 
was  to  push  the  surveys  preliminary  to  sale  and  settle- 
ment. In  the  articles  of  association  above  referred  to,  the 
directors  were  authorized  "  to  procure  an  extinguishment 
of  the  Indian  title  to  said  Reserve.  •  •  •  To  survey 
the  whole  of  said  Reserve,  and  to  lay  the  same  out  into 
townships  containing  sixteen  thousand  acres  each ;  to  fix 
on  a  township  in  which  the  first  settlement  shall  be  made, 
to  survey  that  township  into  small  lots  in  such  inanner  as 
they  shall  think  proper,  and  to  sell  and  dispose  of  said 
lots  to  actual  settlers  only ;  to  erect  in  said  township  a 
saw-mill  and  grist-mill  at  the  expense  of  said  company, 
to  lay  out  and  sell  five  other  townships  of  sixteen  thou- 
sand acres  each  to  actual  settlers  only." 

When  the  directors,  in  accordance  with  these  instruc- 
tions, cast  about  for  some  one  into  whose  hands  should  be 
committed  the  opening  of  this  great  far  Western  wilder- 
ness which  had  come  under  their  control,  their  choice  fell 
upon  one  of  their  number — a  man  of  education,  legal  at- 
tainments, military  experience,  and  of  good,  sturdy  stock. 
He  was  in  the  prime  of  life,  and  eminently  fitted  for 
the  responsible  labors  before  him ;  and  as  he  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  company,  and  one  of  its  directors,  his  interest 
was  that  of  his  employers. 

This  newly-chosen  superintendent  over  the  agents  and 
men  sent  to  survey  and  make  locations  on  said  land, 
whose  name  has  become  so  closely  linked  with  the  for- 
tunes of  this  great  city  of  the  Middle  West,  was  Moses 
Cleaveland.'^  The  family  from  which  he  came  was  of  no 
mean  origin.  The  name  comes  from  the  Saxon,  and  be- 
fore the  Norman  conquest  was  borne  by  a  prominent 
family  in  Yorkshire,  England.  "  An  antiquarian  of  re- 
pute," writes  one  who  has  made   the  personal  career  of 

'■'  In  early  clays  the  name  was  variously  spelled  Cleffland,  Clifland, 
Cleiveland,  Cleaveland,  and  Cleveland.  It  is  said  that  the  family  orig- 
inally occupied  an  estate  that  was  marked  by  tissures  in  the  rocky  soil, 
known  to  the  Saxons  as  "clefts,"  or  "cleves. "  This  caused  the  rural 
neighborhood  to  speak  of  the  occupants  of  the  estate  as  the  "  Clefflands, " 
which  title  the  faniily  accepted. 


22 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


the    founder    of    Cleveland    a    close    and    loving  study, "* 
"  states  that   William  Cleveland,  of  York,  England,  who 
died  at  Hinckley,  in  Leicestershire,  in  1630,  was  the  remote 
ancestor  of  the  American   Clevelands.     It  is  also  shown 
that  a  lineal  descendant  of  his,    whose  name  was   Moses, 
and  who  was  a  hoiisewright,  or  builder,   by  trade,    emi- 
grated from   England  and  landed  at   Boston   in  the  year 
1635,  where  he  remained  for  several   years.      He  then,  in 
connection  with   Edward  Winn  and  others,  founded  the 
town  of  Woburn,  Massachusetts,  where  both  he  and  AVinn 
permanently  settled.      This   Moses   Cleveland  was  a  man 
of  intelligence  and  enterprise.     He  aspired  to  full  citizen- 
ship  and  became,  in    1643,  what  was  then  called  a  '  free- 
man.'     The  qualifications  of  a  '  freeman  '  required  that 
he  should  be   of  '  godly  walk  and  conversation,  at  least 
twenty-one  years  of  age,   take  an   oath   of    allegiance  to 
the  government  of  Massachusetts   Bay  Colony,  be  worth 
two  hundred  pounds,  and  consent  to  hold  office  if  elected, 
or  pay  a  fine  of  forty  shillings,  and  vote  at  all   elections 
or  pay  the  same  fine.'      The  restrictions  and  conditions 
were  so  onerous  that  many  who  were  eligible  preferred 
not  to  become  freemen,   being  more   free  as  they  were. 
But  this  Moses,  who  had  now  become  a  freeman,  feeling 
that  he  had  ancestral  blood  in  his  veins  of  a  superior  qual- 
ity, thought  that  it  ought  to  be  transmitted,  and  after  a 
brief  courtship  married,  in  1648,  Anne  Winn,  the  daugh- 
ter of  his  friend,  Edward  Winn,  of   Woburn.      In   taking 
this  step,  '  Moses'  did  not  make  a  mistake.      The  result 
was  that  he  became  the  accredited  progenitor  of  all  the 
Clevelands  born  in  the   United   vStates — a   race   not  only 
numerous,  but  noted   for   great   moral   worth   and   many 
noble  traits  of  character." 

That  later  Moses  Cleaveland,  with  whom  this  inquiry 
is  directly  concerned,  was  born  on  January  29th,  1754,  in 
Canterbury,  Windham  County,  Connecticut.  He  was  the 
second   son   of   Aaron   Cleaveland    and   Thankful    Paine. 


•2U 


"  Gen.  Moses  Cleaveland,"  by  Harvey  Rice,  m  "  Sketches  of  Western 
Life,"  Boston,  1888,  p.  12. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  23 


They  were  refined,  intelligent  people,  who  decided  that 
the  son,  Moses,  should  receive  an  education,  and  after  the 
usual  preparation  he  was  sent  to  Yale  College,  from 
which  he  was  graduated  in  1777.  He  studied  for  the 
bar,  and  upon  admission,  began  the  practice  of  the  law 
in  his  native  town.  No  small  degree  of  professional  suc- 
cess was  permitted  him,  yet  within  two  years  his  atten- 
tion was  turned  in  another  direction,  bv  his  acceptance 
of  a  commission  as  captain  of  Sappers  and  Miners,  in  the 
Army  of  the  United  States. '^^  Within  a  short  time  he 
resigned  this  commission  and  returned  to  the  law.  He 
served  as  a  member  of  the  Connecticut  Legislature  sev- 
eral terins,  and  made  an  honorable  record  in  that  capac- 
ity. In  1794,  he  was  married  to  Esther,  daughter  of 
Henry  Champion,  who  is  spoken  of  as  "  a  young  lady  of 
rare  accomplishments. ' '  He  served  in  various  capacities 
in  the  militia  of  the  State,  and  earh'  in  1796  became  gen- 
eral of  the  Fifth  Brigade. 

General  Cleaveland's  connection  with  the  Connecticut 
Land  Company,  and  his  experiences  upon  the  Western 
Reserve,  are  related  elsewhere  at  their  proper  place  in 
this  narrative.  He  continued  his  useful  life,  after  his  re- 
turn from  the  West,  until  November  i6th,  1806,'^'  when 
at  Canterbury,  Connecticut,  he  laid  down  his  duties  for- 
ever.     His   life  and  achievements  are  well  summarized 

-'  This  commission  declares  that  as  the  United  States  of  America,  in 
Congress  assembled,  repose  "  especial  trust  and  confidence  "  in  his  "  pa- 
triotism, conduct  and  fidelity,"  do  constitute  and  appoint  him  "to  be  a 
captain  in  the  companies  of  Sappers  and  Miners  in  the  Army  of  the  United 
States,  to  take  rank  as  such  from  the  second  day  of  August,  1779."  He  is 
"  carefully  and  diligently  to  discharge  the  duty  of  a  captain,  by  doing  and 
performing  all  manner  of  things  thereunto  belonging."  The  commission 
is  signed  by  "  His  Excellency  Samuel  Huntington,  Esq.,  President  of  the 
Congress  of  the  United  States  of  America. "  Under  date  of  June  7th,  17S1, 
we  find  this  endorsement:  "  Captain  Cleaveland  is  hereby,  at  his  own  re- 
quest, discharged  from  the  service  of  the  United  States." 

"-■■'  In  an  old  cemeter}-  in  Canterbury  may  be  seen  a  moss-covered  stone 
which  bears  this  inscription : 

Moses  Cleaveland,  Esq. 

Died  November  16,  1S06. 

Aged  Fifty-two. 


24 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAM). 


by  Mr.  Rice,  who  says:  "  Whatever  else  may  be  said  of 
General  Cleaveland,  it  is  evident  that  he  n(.)t  only  led  an 
honorable  life,  but  achieved  a  great  work.  He  was  a 
man  of  few  words  and  of  prompt  action.  His  morality 
was  an  outgrow^th  of  Puritanism  and  as  rigid  as  it  was 
pure.  He  was  manly  and  dignified  in  his  bearing,  and 
so  sedate  in  his  looks  that  strangers  often  took  him  for  a 
clergyman.  In  complexion  he  was  somewhat  swarthy, 
so  much  so  that  the  Indians  claimed  him  as  akin  to  their 
own  race.  In  personal  appearance  he  was  of  medium 
heio-ht,  erect,  thick-set  and  portlv,  had  black  hair,  a 
quick,  penetrating  eye,  muscular  limbs,  and  a  military  air 
in  his  step,  indicating  that  he  was  born  to  command.  In 
the  social  circle  he  was  pleasant  and  agreeable  in  his  style 
of  manners,  and  was  always  received  as  a  welcome  guest. 
He  was  a  friend  to  everybody,  and  everybody  seemed  to 
be  his  friend.  In  his  opinions  he  was  decisive,  and  could 
readilv  give  a  logical  reason  for  them.  He  was  also  a 
man  of  true  courage  amid  threatening  dangers,  and  as 
shrewd  in  his  tactics  and  management  as  he  was  coura- 
geous. •  •  •  His  was  not  only  a  career  of  unusual  in- 
terest, but  a  mission  that  transformed  a  wilderness  into 
a  civilized  land.  In  a  word,  his  life-work  commands  our 
admiration,  and  deserves  commemoration."^* 

The  instructions  conveyed  to  General  Cleaveland  were 
general  in  their  character,  leaving  a  wide  latitude  to  his 
discretion  and  his  judgment  in  meeting  the  exigencies  of 
the  occasion.  He  was  to  superintend  the  surveys,  and 
"  to  make  and  enter  into  friendly  negotiations  with  the 
natives  who  are  on  said  land,  or  contiguous  thereto,  and 
may  have  any  pretended  claim  to  the  same,  and  secure 
such  friendly  intercourse  amongst  them  as  will  establish 
peace,  quiet  and  safety  to  the  survey  and  settlement  of 
such  lands  not  ceded  by  the  natives  under  the  authority 
of  the  United  States. ' '  He  was  further  ' '  fully  authorized 
and  empowered  to  act  and  transact  all  the  above  business  in 
as  full  and  ainple  a  inanner  as  we   ourselves  could   do ;  to 

'^'■'  Rice's   "  Sketches  of  Western  Life."  p.  24. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


25 


make  contracts  on  the  foregoing  matters,  in  our  behalf 
and  stead,  and  make  such  drafts  on  our  treasury  as  may 
be  necessary  to  accompHsh  the  foregoing  objects  of  your 
appointnient." 

This  elastic  and  comprehensive  commission  was  issued 
on  ]\Iay  12th,  1796,  and  so  expeditious  was  the  stirring 
man  in  charge,  that  by  May  19th  we  find  him  in  Albany, 
N.  Y.,  making  active  !  preparations  for  an  early  ad- 
vance upon  the  West.  On  that 
date  he  wrote  to  Oliver  Phelps, 
chairman  of  the  board  of  direct- 
ors, in  a  not  altogether  cheer- 
ful strain :" 

"  Albany,  May  19,  1796. 

''  I  have  in  rain  and  bad 
roads  arrived  at  this  place.  ]\Ir. 
Porter  left  Schenectady  on  last 
vSunday,  one  man  was  drowned. 
I  find  it  inconvenient  and  at 
present  impossible  to  obtain  a 
loan  of  money  without  sacrifice, 
as  our  credit  as  a  company  is 
not  yet  sufficiently  known.       It 

must  then  rest  on  drafts  on  Thos.  Mather  &  Company, 
dependent  on  their  early  being  supplied  with  money  from 
Hartford.  •  •  •  Mr.  Porter  has  proceeded,  as  I  ob- 
tain information,  with  all  the  dispatch  and  attention  pos- 
sible, but  we  shall  all  fall  short,  tho'  our  exertions  are 
ever  so  great,  without  pecuniary  aid.  I  have  concluded, 
without  adequate  supply,  to  proceed,  and  as  my  presence 
is  much  wanted  to  risque  consequences,  shall  make  drafts 
on  Thos.  Mather  and  Company,    resting   assured  that  you 

•-■1  Through  the  patriotic  effort  of  George  F.  Marshall,  of  Cleveland, 
some  letters  from  the  pen  of  General  Cleaveland  while  upon  this  ex- 
pedition have  recentlv  been  made  available  for  historic  use.  There  are 
four  in  all ;  these  were  found  by  Mr.  Marshall  in  the  possession  of  Walter 
H.  Phelps,  a  great  grandson  of  Oliver  Phelps,  of  Canandaigua,  N.  Y.,  who 
permitted  copies  to  be  taken.  They  appear  in  full  in  the  "  Annals  of  the 
Early  Settlers'  Association,"  Vol.  III.,  N(j.  i,  p.  68. 


26  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

will  immediately,  if  at  the  expense  of  a  person  on  pur- 
pose send  on  the  money  immediately  that  can  be  pro- 
cured, to  Messrs.  Mather,  who  will  attend  to  all  orders 
and  directions  you  may  please  to  give.  A  credit  once 
established,  the  business  can  with  great  ease  and 
less  expense  be  transacted,  but  if  we  shall  be  obliged 
to  draw  orders,  and  once  protested,  I  am  apprehensive 
that  consequences  will  be  fatal,  at  least  to  the  persons 
employed." 

Affairs  were  so  far  carried  successfully  forward  that 
early  in  the  succeeding  June  the  expedition  was  concen- 
trated at  vSchenectady.  A  list  of  the  officers  and  men  em- 
ployed was  as  follows :'" 

Moses  Cleaveland,  superintendent. 

Augustus  Porter,  principal  surveyor  and  deputy  super- 
intendent. 

Seth  Pease,  astronomer  and  surveyor. 

Amos  Spafford,  John  Milton  HoUey,  Richard  M.  Stod- 
dard and  Moses  Warren,  surveyors. 

Joshua  Stow,  commissary. 

Theodore  Shepard,  physician. 

EMPLOYEES  OF  THE  COMPANY. 

Joseph  Tinker,  Boatman,  Joseph  MTntyre, 

George  Proudfoot,  Francis  Gray, 

Samuel  Forbes,  Amos  Sawtel, 

Stephen  Benton,  Amos  Barber, 

Samuel  Hungerford,  William  B.  Hall, 

vSamuel  Davenport,  iVsa  Mason, 

Amzi  Atwater,  Michael  Coffin, 

Elisha  Ayres,  Thomas  Harris, 

Norman  Wilcox,  Timothy  Dunham, 

George  Gooding,  Shadrach  Benham, 

Samuel  Agnew,  Wareham  Shepard, 

25  Whittlesey's  "  Early  History  of  Cleveland,"  p.  iS8.  Col.  Whittlesey 
adds:  "  Elijah  Gun,  and  Anna,  his  wife,  came  with  the  surveyors  and  took 
charge  of  Stow's  Castle  at  Conneaut.  Job  P.  Stiles,  and  Tabitha  Cumi,  his 
wife,  were  left  in  charge  of  the  company's  stores  at  Cleveland.  There 
were  thirteen  horses  and  some  cattle, which  completed  the  party  of  1796." 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


27 


David  Beard, 
Titus  V.  Munson, 
Charles  Parker, 
Nathaniel  Doan, 
James  Halket, 
Olney  F.  Rice, 
Samuel  Barnes, 


John  Briant, 
Joseph  Landon, 
Ezekiel  Morly, 
Luke  Hanchet, 
James  Hamilton, 
John  Lock, 
Stephen  Burbank, 
Daniel  Shulay. 


CHAPTER  IL 

LAYING   THE    FOUNDATIONS. 

When  the  order  was  given  to  move  toward  the  West, 
several  of  the  party  were  placed  in  charge  of  the  horses 
and  cattle,  and  sent  overland  to  Buffalo.  Others  pro- 
ceeded in  boats  by  way  of  the  Mohawk  River.  On  reach- 
ing Fort  Stanwix,  now  known  as  Rome,  N.  Y.,  they 
transferred  across  the  portage  to  Wood  Creek,  passed 
down  to  Oneida  Lake,  across  that  body  and  its  outlets, 
and  so  down  the  Oswego  River  to  Lake  Ontario.  They 
•sailed  along  the  coast  of  the  lake  to  the  mouth  of  the 
Niagara  River  and  along  the  same  to  Queenstown,  where 
they  crossed  another  portage  and  reached  Chippewa, 
from  whence  they  passed  up  the  Niagara  and  Lake  Erie 
to  Buffalo,  where  they  met  the  detachment  which  had 
come  overland. 

Naturally,  many  hardships  were  encountered  upon  the 
way,  for  it  was  no  light  undertaking  to  conduct  an  ex- 
pedition of  this  size  and  character  across  many  m'les  of 
new  and  unbroken  country.  Little  is  said  of  these,  how- 
ever, by  the  hardy  men  upon  whom  these  labors  fell. 
One  of  the  surveyors,  John  Milton  HoUey,  industriously 
kept  a  journal  in  which  a  number  of  incidents  of  a  minor 
nature  are  recorded.  Under  date  of  May  31st,  he  says: 
'  *  Stow  (the  commissary)  and  Stoddard  (one  of  the  survey- 
ors) came  from  Sodus,  on  Lake  Ontario,  with  information 
that  three  boats  were  cast  away,  but  no  lives  or  property 
lost ;  in  consequence  of  which  we  left  Canandaiqua  the 
31st  of  May  for  Gerundicut  (Irondequoit),  slept  the  first 
night  at  Howe's  in  Boughton  town. 

"  June  I  St.  Went  to  the  landing  to  see  our  boat,  but 
as  it  had  not  arrived,  Porter,  vStow  and  myself  embarked 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


2q' 


on  Dunbar's  boat,  to  go  to  the  great  lake  to  meet  our 
boat,  but  as  luck  would  have  it,  we  went  in  the  boat 
about  half  a  mile  to  the  landing,  unloaded,  and  Porter 
with  four  hands  returned  to  Little  Sodus,  to  give  relief  to 
those  who  were  cast  away,  and  Stow  and  myself  with  our 
hands  encamped  on  the  Gerundicut.  Built  a  bark  hut, 
and  the  men  lodged  in  it  the  first  night.  Stow  and  my- 
self lodged  on  the  floor  at  Dunbar's. 

"  June  3rd,  Gen.  Cleaveland  at  evening  arrived  at  Can- 
andaiqua  and  gave  us  information  that  the  boats  had  gone 
from  Whitestown  to  Fort  Stanwix,  and  Mr.  vStow  sfot  a 
letter  from  the  British  Minister,  or  charge  des'  affaires, 
to  the  commanding  officer  at  Fort  Oswego,  requesting 
permission  for  our  boats  to  pass  unmolested.  This  in- 
formation, together  with  the 
favorable  prospect  of  wind 
and  weather  at  that  time,  gave 
us  great  hopes  that  the  stores 
would  get  on  safely  and  rap- 
idly, but  on  Saturday  morn- 
ing there  sprang  up  in  the 
northwest  a  storm,  and  blew^ 
most  violently  on  the  shore 
of  the  lake.  This  proved 
fatal  to  one  of  the  boats,  and 
damaged  another  very  much, 
though  we  went  a  little  for- 
ward to  a  safe  harbor,  and 
built  several  fires  on  the  bank  of  the  lake,  as  a  bea- 
con to  those  coming  on.  After  the  disaster  had  hap- 
pened, the  boat  that  was  safe  went  on  to  the  Gerun- 
dicut with  a  load,  and  left  the  other  three,  including 
the  one  that  was  stove,  at  Little  vSodus,  encamped 
near  the  lake.  Among  the  passengers  were  two 
families,  one  of  the  women  with  a  little  child.  • 
Started  from  Canandaiqua,  and  arrived  on  the  morning 
of  the  4th.  All  these  misfortunes  happened  in  con- 
sequence of  not  having  liberty  to  pass  the  fort  at  Oswe- 


JOSHUA    STOW. 


JO  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


go.        Sjtcli   arc   the  effects  of  alhn^'iiig  the  Brit is/i  government 
to   exist  on  the  eo)itinent  of  America.'' 

On  June  17,  the  journal  records  the  fact  that  "at  even- 
ing we  got  to  Skinner's  tavern,  at  Buffalo  creek."  On 
the  iiSth:  "  Porter  and  myself  went  on  the  creek  in  a 
hark  canoe,  a-fishing,  and  caught  only  three  little  ones." 
On  Sunday,  June  19th:  "  Left  Buffalo  in  Winney's  boat, 
for  Chippewa,  had  a  fair  wind  down,  and  arrived  about 
one  o'clock  at  Chippewa,  dined  at  Fanning's,  found  our 
goods  were  not  at  the  Gore,  in  Chippewa,  and  was  obliged 
to  go  to  Queenstown  after  them,  and  as  I  could  not  get  a 
horse  was  obliged  to  walk.  I  got  to  Queenstown  before 
night,  and  lodged  at  Caleb  Ingersoll's;  next  morning  set 
out  for  Buffalo.  On  the  way  I  stopped  to  look  at  Niagara 
Falls.  That  river  a  little  above  Fort  Slusher,  is  two  and 
one  half  miles  wide.  Soon  after  this  the  water  is  very 
rapid,  and  continuing  on,  is  hurried  with  amazing  impet- 
uosity down  the  most  stupendous  precipice  perhaps  in 
nature.  There  is  a  fog  continually  arising,  occasioned  by 
the  tumbling  of  the  water,  which,  in  a  clear  morning,  is 
seen  from  Lake  Erie,  at  the  distance  of  thirty  or  forty 
miles,  as  is  the  noise  also  heard.  As  the  hands  were  very 
dilatory  in  leaving  Chippewa,  we  were  obliged  to  encamp 
on  the  great  island  in  the  river.  We  struck  a  fire  and 
cooked  some  squirrels  and  pigeons,  and  a  young  part- 
ridge. I  slept  very  sound  all  night,  between  a  large  log 
and  the  bank  of  the  river.  The  next  day  arrived  at  Buf- 
falo." 

It  was  at  the  point  last  named  that  General  Cleaveland 
was  permitted  to  fulfill,  in  a  measure,  one  of  the  duties 

'■"'  The  above  patriotic  outburst  requires  a  word  of  explanation.  Oswego 
was  still  in  the  hands  of  the  British,  and  when  Mr.  Stow  asked  permission 
to  pass  the  fort  with  his  boats,  he  was  refused  b}'  the  officer  in  charge. 
In  face  of  this  refusal  he  slipped  by  on  a  dark  night  and  his  boats  passed 
safely  into  Lake  Ontario.  The  delay  because  of  these  negotiations  caused 
him  to  be  caught  in  a  storm  with  the  loss  above  recorded.  The  fort  at 
Oswego  and  that  at  Niagara  were  both  at  that  time  under  contract  of 
delivery  to  the  United  States,  in  accordance  with  the  provisions  of  Jay's 
treaty. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLE  VELA  XD.  ji 

with  wliich  he  had  been  eharired  bv  those  under  Avhose 
authority  he  was  aetinof.  Althoutrh  various  treaties  had 
been  made  with  the  Indians,  by  whieh  it  was  supposed 
they  had  given  up  all  claims  to  the  lands  east  of  the  Cuya- 
hoga, the  party  were  met  at  Buffalo  by  a  claim  which,  if 
not  adjusted,  would  be  certain  to  create  trouble  in  the 
present,  and  danger  to  the  new  settlements  of  the  future. 

The  General  was  confronted  by  representatives  of  the 
Mohawk  and  Seneca  Indians,  headed  by  the  famous  Red 
Jacket,  and  Joseph  Brant  otherwise  known  to  fame  by 
his  Indian  naine  of  Thayendanega,  who  were  determined 
to  use  force  if  necessary,  to  oppose  the  further  progress 
of  the  expedition  toward  the  West.  In  the  skill  and  ad- 
dress with  which  he  met  this  danger  and  averted  it,  the 
General  showed  himself  a  diplomat  as  well  as  a  soldier. 
A  conference,  or  council,  was  arranged.  ''  At  two 
o'clock  this  afternoon,"  we  learn  from  the  record  of  Sur- 
veyor Holley,  "  the  council  fire  with  the  vSix  Nations  was 
uncovered,  and  at  evening  was  again  covered  until 
morning,  when  it  was  opened  again,  and  after  some  con- 
siderable delay.  Captain  Brant  gave  General  Cleaveland 
a  speech  in  writing. 

"  The  chiefs,  after  this,  were  determined  to  get  drunk. 
No  more  business  was  done  this  dav.  In  the  eveningf  the 
Indians  had  one  of  their  old  ceremonial  dances,  where  one 
gets  up  and  walks  up  and  down  between  them,  singing 
something,  and  those  who  sit  around  keep  tune  by  grunt- 
ing. Next  morning,  which  was  the  23rd,  after  several 
speeches  back  and  forth,  from  Red  Jacket  to  General 
Cleaveland,  Captain  Chapin,  Brant,  etc.,  General  Cleave- 
land answered  Brant's  speech.  In  short,  the  business 
was  concluded  in  this  way.  General  Cleaveland  offered 
Brant  one  thousand  dollars  as  a  present.  Brant,  in  an- 
swer, told  General  Cleaveland  that  their  minds  were 
easily  satisfied,  but  that  they  thought  his  offer  was  not 
enough,  and  added  this  to  it,  that  if  he  would  use  his  in- 
fluence with  the  United  States  to  procure  an  annuity  of 
five]"  hundred  dollars  par,  and  if  this  should  fail  that  the 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLE]' ELAND. 


Connecticut  Land  Company  should,  in  a  reasonable  time, 
make  an  additional  present  of  one  thousand  five  hundred 
dollars,  which  was  agreed  to.  The  Mohawks  are  to  give 
one  hundred  dollars  to  the  Senecas,  and  Cleaveland  gave 
two  beef  cattle  and  whisky  to  inake  a  feast  for  them." 

In  return  for  the  payments  above  proinised,  and  the 
agreenient  to  intercede  with  the  government,  it  was 
guaranteed  by  the  chiefs  that  the  settlers  upon  the  Re- 
serve should  not  be  molested ;  and  this  agreeinent,  so  far 
as  they  were  concerned,  was  faithfully  carried  out. 

Our  recording  surveyor  pauses  for  a  moment  in  his  nar- 
ration of  events  to  relate  a  side  incident  which  casts  a 
light  upon  the  shrewd  philosophy  of  one  of  these  children 
of  the  forests:  "  Farmer's  Brother,  Red  Jacket  and  Lit- 
tle Billv  and  Green  Grass  Hopper  dined  with  the  com- 
missioners. In  the  course  of  conversation,  Red  Jacket 
gave  his  sentiments  upon  religion,  which  were  to  this  pur- 
pose :  '  You  white  people  make  a  great  parade  about  re- 
ligion ;  you  say  you  have  a  book  of  laws  and  rules  which 
was  given  you  by  the  Great  Spirit,  but  is  this  true?  Was 
it  written  by  his  own  hand  and  given  to  you?  No,'  says 
he,  '  it  was  written  by  your  own  people.  They  do  it  to 
deceive  you.  Their  whole  wishes  center  here  (pointing 
to  his  pocket):  all  they  want  is  the  money.  (It  happened 
there  was  a  priest  in  the  room  at  the  same  time  who 
heard  him.)  He  says  white  people  tell  them  they  wish 
to  come  and  live  among  them  as  brothers  and  learn  them 
agriculture.  So  they  bring  on  implements  of  husbandry 
and  presents,  tell  them  good  stories,  and  all  appears  hon- 
est. But  when  they  are  gone  all  appears  as  a  dream. 
Our  land  is  taken  from  us,  and  still  we  don't  know  how 
to  farm  it.'  "  This  seems,  in  some  respects,  a  very 
shrewd  presentation  of  the  vexed  "  Indian  question  "  at 
an  early  day. 

These  formidable  powers  having  been  conciliated,  the 
expedition  again  moved  westward,  in  two  divisions,  as  be- 
fore; one  by  land  and  the  other  by  Lake  Erie.  On  the 
4th   day   of  July,  at   6  p.  m.,  they  reached  the  mouth  of 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  33 

Conneaut  Creek.  They  were  at  last  upon  the  Reserve, 
and  as  their  arrival  was  upon  a  date  made  memorable  by 
the  stirring  Declaration  of  but  twenty  years  before,  these 
patriotic  sons  of  Connecticut  naturally  celebrated  as 
seemed  most  fitting,  and  with  such  means  of  rejoicing  as 
were  at  command. 

There  have  been  many  celebrations  of  our  nation's 
natal  day  upon  the  Western  Reserve  since  its  opening  to 
civilization  one  hundred  years  ago,  but  there  have  per- 
haps been  none  more  hearty  and  patriotic''  than  this  first 
one,  held  in  sight  of  beautiful  Erie,  and  among  the  woods 
of  Conneaut. 

We  can  see  this  little  band  of  fifty,  drawn  the  more 
closely  together  because  they  were  so  few  in  number, 
and  so  far  from  home  and  kindred,  uniting  with  each 
other  in  song,  in  toast  and  hearty  expressions  of  good 
will.  The  day  had  been  serene,  the  foliage  about  them 
was  in  its  best  .shades  of  summer  green,  the  little  creek 
wound  thread-like  between  its  banks,  and  out  beyond  the 
water  of  blue  Erie  sparkled  in  the  setting  sun.'^*      There 

-■'  Extract  from  the  journal  of  General  Cleaveland:  "  On  this  creek 
(Conneaught),  in  New  Connecticut  land,  July  4th,  1796,  under  General 
Moses  Cleaveland,  the  surveyors,  and  men  sent  by  the  Connecticut  Land 
Company  to  survey  and  settle  the  Connecticut  Reserve,  and  were  the  first 
English  people  who  took  possession  of  it.  The  day,  memorable  as  the 
birthday  of  American  Independence,  and  freedom  from  British  tyranny, 
and  commemorated  by  all  good  free-born  sons  of  America,  and  memorable 
as  the  day  on  which  the  settlement  of  this  new  country  was  commenced, 
and  in  time  may  raise  her  head  amongst  the  most  enlightened  and  im- 
proved States.  And  after  many  difficulties,  perplexities,  and  hardships 
were  surmounted,  and  we  were  on  the  good  and  promised  land,  felt  that 
a  just  tribute  of  respect  to  the  day  ought  to  be  paid.  There  were  in  all, 
including  men,  women  and  children,  fifty  in  number." — Whittlesey's 
"  Early  History  of  Cleveland,"  p.  iSi. 

-■^  This  celebration  has  usuallj-  been  treated  as  an  elaborate,  all-  day 
affair,  but  the  letter  written  by  General  Cleaveland  on  July  5th,  the  day 
following,  to  Oliver  Phelps  and  found  among  the  Phelps  letters  already 
quoted,  would  seem  opposed  to  that  view.  He  says:  "  We  sailed  from 
Buffalo  Creek  a  week  3-esterday,  and  having  head  winds  and  very  heavily 
loaded,  with  much  perseverance  was  able  to  reach  this  place  (Conneaut 
Creek)  yesterday  at  6 p.  in."  This  would  still  permit  the  celebration  to 
occur  in  daylight,  at  that  season  of  the  year. 


j4  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

was  much  lacking  of  the  needs  and  devices  of  civiliza- 
tion, but  they  were  hardy  men,  well  used  to  rough  serv- 
ice, and  to  whom  there  were  but  a  half  dozen  essentials 
of  life  just  then — food,  drink,  clothing,  shelter  and  am- 
munition. 

The  new  flag  of  the  new  nation  was  flung  to  the  breeze. 
Tables  were  arranged,  and  baked  beans  and  pork  showed 
well  in  evidence.  "  We  gave  three  cheers,"  says  Cleave- 
land,  "and  christened  the  place  Port  Independence." 
Salutes  of  musketry,  under  command  of  Captain  Joseph 
Tinker,  were  fired — one  for  each  State  in  the  Union,  and 
one  for  New  Connecticut;  and  toasts  proposed,  of  which 
the  chronicler  last  quoted  gives  a  list : 

I  St.   "  The  President  of  the  United  vStates." 

2nd.   "  The  State  of  New  Connecticut." 

3rd.   "  The  Connecticut  Land  Company." 

4th.  "  May  the  Port  of  Independence  and  the  fifty  sons 
and  daughters  who  have  entered  it  this  day  be  successful 
and  prosperous." 

5th.  "  May  these  sons  and  daughters  multiply  in  six- 
teen years  sixteen  times  fifty." 

6th.  "  May  every  person  have  his  bowsprit  trimmed 
and  ready  to  enter  any  port  that  opens." 

It  is  with  no  small  regret  that  we  fail  to  report  the 
speeches  made  upon  that  occasion — for  speech  there  must 
have  been,  set  or  otherwise,  among  these  patriotic  sons 
of  New  England.  No  record  of  these  was  made,  as  Sur- 
veyor HoUey  and  his  associates  were  more  interested  in 
recording  township  boundaries  and  noting  variations  of 
the  compass,  than  the  Fourth  of  July  outbursts  of  a  little 
band  of  strangers  in  the  new  country.'" 

'■'^  Judge  John  Barr,  in  the  "  National  Magazine  "  for  December,  1845, 
•says ;  ' '  The  sons  of  revokitionary  sires,  some  of  them  sharers  of  themselves 
in  the  great  baptism  of  the  republic,  they  made  the  anniversaiy  of  their 
country's  freedom  a  day  of  ceremonial  and  rejoicing.  •  •  •  Mustering 
their  numbers,  they  sat  them  down  on  the  eastward  shore  of  the  stream 
now  known  as  Conneaut,  and,  dipping  from  the  lake  the  liquor  in  which 
they  pledged  their  country — their  goblets  some  tin  cups  of  no  rare  work- 
manship, yet  every  way  answerable— with    the  ordnance  accomjjaniment 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  jj- 

When  General  Cleaveland  tells  us  that  the  celebration 
"  closed  with  three  cheers;  drank  several  pails  of  grog-, 
supped,  and  retired  in  good  order,"  we  have  no  right 
to  assume  that  a  bibulous  set  of  individuals  had  been  sent 
upon  this  important  mission.  They  drank  no  more  and 
no  less  than  was  the  custom  of  their  day,  and  of  the  com- 
munities in  which  they  lived.  This  was,  beyond  doubt, 
the  first  celebration  of  Independence  Day  upon  the  Reserve. 

On  the  day  following,  the  actual  w^ork  of  the  expedition 
was  commenced.  General  Cleaveland  wrote  to  the  direct- 
ors of  the  company,  reporting  progress;  and  two  boats 
under  command  of  Captain  Tinker  were  sent  to  Fort  Erie 
to  bring  on  a  portion  of  the  stores  that  had  been  tempora- 
rily left  there.  The  men  were  set  to  work  at  cutting 
timber,  and  erecting  a  large  log  structure  for  temporary 
accommodation,  which  was  named  "Castle  Stow,"  in 
honor  of  Commissary  Joshua  Stow.  It  was  constructed 
of  unhewn  logs,  roofed  with  a  combination  thatch  of 
brush,  wild  grasses  and  sod.  We  are  told  by  Harvey 
Rice  that  "  the  style  of  architecture  was  entirely  unique, 
and  its  uncouth  appearance  such  as  to  provoke  the  laugh- 
ter of  the  builders,  and  the  ridicule  of  the  Indians." 

These  red  natives  of  the  soil  were  moved  by  yet  an- 
other impulse  that  had  a  serious  side,  as  they  saw  these 
preparations  for  permanent  occupation.  They  could  not 
understand  just  what  was  contemplated,  but  saw  that 
something  was  on  foot  that  boded  no  good  for  their  con- 
tinued possession  of  the  soil.  An  explanation  was  de- 
manded. The  manner  in  which  the  demand  was  made  is 
thus  related  by  General  Cleaveland  himself : 

' '  Received  a  message  from  the  Paqua  chief  of  the  Mas- 
sasagoes,  residing  in  Conneaut,  that  they  wished  a  coun- 
cil held  that  day.  I  prepared  to  meet  them,  and  after 
they  were  all  seated,  took  my  seat  in  the  middle.      Cato, 

of  two  or  three  fowling  j^ieces  discharging  the  required  salute — the  first 
settlers  of  the  Reserve  spent  their  landing-day  as  became  the  sons  of  the 
Pilgrim  Fathers — as  the  advance  pioneers  of  a  population  that  has  since 
made  the  then  wilderness  of  Northern  Ohio  to  blossom  as  the  rose. ' ' 


j6  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

son  of  Paqiia,  was  the  orator;  Paqua  dictated.  They 
opened  the  council  by  smoking  the  pipe  of  peace  and 
friendship.  The  orator  then  rose  and  addressed  me  in 
the  language  of  Indian  flattery,  '  Thank  The  Great  Spirit 
for  preserving  and  bringing  me  there.  Thank  The  Great 
Spirit  for  giving  a  pleasant  day,'  and  then  requested  to 
know  our  claim  to  the  land,  as  they  had  friends  who  re- 
sided on  the  land,  and  others  at  a  distance  who  would 
come  there.  They  wanted  to  know  what  I  would  do 
with  them.  I  replied,  informing  them  of  our  title  and 
what  I  had  said  to  the  Six  Nations,  and  also  assured 
them  that  they  should  not  be  disturbed  in  their  posses- 
sions; we  would  treat  them  and  their  friends  as  brothers. 
They  then  presented  me  with  the  pipe  of  friendship  and 
peace,  a  curious  one,  indeed.  I  returned  a  chain  of  wam- 
pum, silver  trinkets,  and  other  presents,  and  whisky,  to 
the  amount  of  about  twenty-five  dollars.  They  also  said 
they  were  poor;  and  as  I  had  expressed,  hoped  we  should 
be  friendly  and  continue  to  be  liberal.  I  told  them  I 
acted  for  others  as  well  as  for  myself,  and  to  be  liberal 
of  others'  property  was  no  evidence  of  true  friendship; 
those  people  I  represented  lived  by  industry,  and  to  give 
away  their  property  lavishly  to  those  who  live  in  indo- 
lence and  by  begging,  would  be  no  deed  of  charity.  As 
long  as  they  were  industrious  and  conducted  themselves 
well,  I  would  do  such  benevolent  acts  to  them  as  would 
be  judged  right  and  would  do  them  the  most  good ;  cau- 
tioned them  against  indolence  and  drunkenness.  This 
not  only  closed  the  business,  but  checked  their  begging 
for  more  whisky." 

After  this  second  council  with  the  Indians,  the  General 
addressed  himself  squarely  to  the  work  in  hand,  which 
was  to  lay  out  a  part  of  the  Reserve  into  townships  five 
miles  square,  and  the  townships  into  one  hundred  acre 
lots.  The  surveyors  were  assigned  to  their  respective 
labors,  and  set  out  upon  the  fulfillment  thereof. 

It  is  our  immediate  mission  to  follow  only  those  who 
proceeded  westward  toward  the   Cuyahoga.     In  a  couple 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  37 

of  weeks  Cleaveland  .selected  certain  of  his  staff,  and 
with  them  proceeded  in  an  open  boat  along-  the  shore  of 
Erie,  until  he  reached  a  stream  that  he  concluded  was  the 
Cuyahoga,  which  was  his  objective  point.  He  proceeded 
up  it,  as  rapidly  as  the  sandbanks  and  fallen  timber  would 
permit,  and  soon  found  that  he  had  made  the  mistake  of 
entering  a  stream  not  laid  down  upon  his  map.  It  is  de- 
clared by  some  authorities  that  in  commemoration  of  this 
error,  and  of  his  consequent  disappointment  over  delay, 
he  called  the  stream  "  the  Chagrin  " — an  appellation 
which  it  retains  to-day.'"^' 

Retracing  their  way  to  the  lake,  the  little  party  sailed 
and  rowed  still  westward,  and  on  the  morning  of  July 
22nd,  in  the  year  1796,  passed  into  the  Cuyahoga,  and 
stood  upon  its  eastern  bank  near  the  entrance  to  the  lake. 

No  formal  ceremony  marked  this  entrance  of  civiliza- 
tion, in  the  persons  of  Moses  Cleaveland  and  his  men, 
upon  the  spot  where  within  the  coming  century  a  great 
city  was  to  be  reared.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  landing 
was  very  commonplace  in  its  character.     "  They  reached 

^0  The  authorities  do  not  agree  upon  this  point.  Whittlesey's  "  Earh'' 
History  of  Cleveland,"  p.  213,  says:  "Much  discussion  has  taken  place 
upon  the  origin  of  the  name  of  the  Chagrin  River.  Thomas  Hutchins  in 
his  '  Topographical  Description  of  Virginia,  Pennsylvania,  etc.,"  in  17S7, 
notices  a  stream  by  the  name  of  Shaguin,  which  is  said  to  mean  in  some 
Indian  language,  the  'clear  water.'  On  Hutchins's  map  of  1764  no  im- 
portant streams  are  given  between  the  '  Cyahoga  '  and  Presque  Isle.  It 
is  thus  not  easy  to  determine  what  river  is  meant  by  the  Shaguin.  The 
surveyors  all  speak  of  it  as  then  known,  as  the  Chagrin.  Grand  River  is 
a  name  evidently  of  French  origin,  its  Indian  name  being  '  Sheauga, '  from 
whence  the  term  Geauga  is  derived,  by  a  very  natural  corruption.  It  is 
highly  probable  that  Chagrin  is  a  title  given  by  the  French  traders  to  this 
stream,  from  some  accident  or  suffering  such  as  occurred  at  Misery  River 
of  Lake  Superior."  In  the  "  Journal  of  a  Tour,"  already  quoted,  we  lind 
these  words :  ' '  The  Shaugin  River,  emptying  into  Lake  Erie,  is  a  small 
but  remarkably  clear  stream,  boatable  about  ten  miles,  affording  good 
mill  seats,  and  abounding  in  excellent  lish."  Rev.  John  Seward,  who 
came  to  the  Reserve  as  a  missionary  in  1S12,  writing  of  the  Chagrin  in 
1 83 1,  says:  "It  had  long  been  known  by  that  name  on  account  of  the 
wreck  and  suffering  of  a  French  crew  at  or  near  its  mouth."  Mr.  Seward 
was  much  given  to  historical  research,  was  cultured,  and  of  marked  liter- 
arv  abilitv. 


j8  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

the  veritable  Cuyahoga,"  says  Mr.  Rice,''^  with  that  dry 
humor  that  was  so  telling  and  charaeteristic,  ' '  and  after 
advancing  a  short  distance  in  its  channel,  attempted  to 
land,  but  in  their  efforts  to  do  so  ran  their  boat  into  the 
marshy  growth  of  wild  vegetation  which  skirted  the  east- 
erly bank  of  the  river,  and  stranded  her.  Here  '  Moses,' 
like  his  ancient  name's  sake,  found  himself  cradled  in  the 
bullrushes.  This  occurred  near  the  foot  of  Union  Lane, 
which  was  at  that  time  the  termination  of  an  Indian  trail. 
The  party  soon  succeeded  in  effecting  a  safe  landing. 
They  then  ascended  the  precipitous  bluff,  which  over- 
looked the  valley  of  the  river,  and  were  astonished  to  find 
a  broad  and  beautiful  plain  of  woodland  stretching  far 
away  to  the  east,  west  and  south  of  them,  and  lying  at  an 
elevation  of  some  eighty  feet  above  the  dark  blue  waters 
of  Lake  Erie.  The  entire  party  became  enamored  of  the 
scene." 

"  A  young  growth  of  oaks  with  low  bushy  tops  covered 
the  ground,"  adds  Col.  Whittlesey,'"  in  further  descrip- 
tion of  the  scene.  "  Beneath  them  were  thrifty  bushes, 
rooted  in  a  lean  but  dry  and  pleasant  soil,  favorable  to  the 
object  in  view.  A  smooth  and  even  field  sloped  gently 
toward  the  lake,  whose  blue  waters  could  be  seen  extend- 
ing to  the  horizon." 

Those  who  in  a  mental  vision  can  reconstruct  the  scene, 
with  the  lake,  and  river,  and  wooded  land;  with  no  sign 
of  habitation  or  the  work  of  man ;  with  the  Cuyahoga  at 
their  feet,  and  the  hills  rising  above  it ;  with  no  rise  of 
smoke  in  all  the  landscape;  green  leaves  above  them,  and 
verdant  carpets  beneath  their  feet ;  a  fair  sky  shining  over 
it  all,  can  well  understand  how  the  beauty  and  fitness  of 
the  place  for  the  purposes  they  had  in  mind  were  im- 
pressed upon  the  visitors,  and  that  then  and  there  was  born 
the  fruitful  thought  out  of  which  this  fair  and  prosperous 
Forest  City  has  grown. 

•"  "Pioneers  of  the  Western  Reserve,"  by  Harvey  Rice,  Cleveland, 
1881,  p.  58. 

^-  "  Annals  of  the  Early  Settlers'  Association,"  No.  r,  p.  23. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  jq 

General  Cleaveland  decided — not  just  then,  bnt  a  little 
later^that  the  main  town  of  such  portion  of  the  Reserve 
as  lay  within  his  jurisdiction  should  be  built  here.  His 
prophetic  eye  was  true  in  its  investigation  of  the  future, 
and  although  his  little  city  was  for  a  time  humiliated  by- 
being  described  as  "  six  miles  from  Newburgh,"  where 
the  grist-mill  wavS — all  later  developments  have  shown 
that  in  no  better  place  could  the  metropolis  of  the  Re- 
serve have  been  built. 

The  5th  of  August  found  the  General  back  again  at 
Port  Independence  (Conneaut  Creek),  where  he  made  a 
lengthy  report  to  the  home  company, ^^  giving  his  views 
upon  various  things  in  a  plain  and  by  no  means  optimistic 
manner.  After  touching  upon  affairs  in  the  eastern  sec- 
tion of  the  Reserve,  he  says: 

"  The  Cuyahoga  is  navigable  for  sloops  about  eight 
miles  as  the  river  runs,  and  for  boats  to  the  portage,  if 
the  immense  quantity  of  trees  drove  down  and  lodged  are 
cleared  out.  The  land  excellent,  the  water  clear  and 
lively  current,  and  streams  and  springs  falling  into  all 
three  rivers.'*  We  went  in  a  Schenectady  boat,  the  '  Cuy- 
ahoga,' about  twenty-five  miles  to  the  old  Moravian  In- 
dian town,  and  I  imagine  on  a  meridian  line,  not  more 
than  twelve  or  fifteen  miles.  Here  the  bottoms  widen, 
and  as  I  am  informed,  increase  in  width,  and  if  possible 
in  quality.  I  believe  we  could  have  proceeded  further 
up  the  river,  but  found  the  time  allotted,  and  the  provis- 
ion inadequate  to  perform  the  whole  route.  At  this 
place  we  found  a  stream,  that  empties  into  the  river, 
which  will  make  a  good  mill  seat.  The  lands  on  the  lake 
shore,  in  some  places  low,  here  and  there  a  small  cran- 
berry pond,  not  of  any  great  extent,  nor  discovered  low 
drowned  lands  of  any  bigness  for  twenty  or  thirty  miles 
on  the  lake  shore.     On  the  east  of  the  Cuyahoga  are  clay 

^-'^  In  the  Phelps  letters,    "  Annals  of  the   Early   Settlers'   Association," 
Vol.  III.,  No.  I,  p.  73. 

"^  He  probably  refers  to  the  Cuyahi^ga  and  two  other  rivers  he  had  been 
examining — the  Grand  and  ' '  the  one  called  Ashtabula,  now  Mary  Easter. ' ' 


40  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

banks  from  twenty  to  forty  feet  high,  on  the  top  the  land 
level,  covered  with  chestnut,  oak,  walnut,  ash,  and  some 
sugar  maple.  There  are  but  few  hemlocks,  and  those 
only  on  a  swamp,  pond  or  lake,  and  in  the  immense 
quantity  of  flood  wood  lodged  on  the  lakes  and  rivers,  I 
rarely  found  any  of  that  wood.  The  shore  west  of  the 
mouth  of  the  Cuyahoga  is  a  steep  bank  for  ten  miles,  the 
quality  of  the  soil  I  know  not,  but  from  the  growth  and 
kind  of  timber,  these  present  no  unfavorable  aspect.  I 
should  with  great  pleasure,  readily  comply  with  what  I 
suppose  you  have  heretofore  expected  that  I  should  leave 
this  country  about  this  time.  I  have  not  as  yet  been  in- 
terrupted in  a  constant  attention  to  business,  more  than  I 
could  have  imagined  or  would  have  voluntarily  entered 
into,  and  I  see  no  prospect  of  its  lessening  at  present. 
Those  who  are  meanly  envying  the  compensation  and 
sitting  at  their  ease  and  see  their  prosperity  increasing  at 
the  loss  of  health,  ease,  and  coinfort  of  others,  I  wish 
might  experience  the  hardships  for  one  month ;  if  not 
then  satisfied  their  grumbling  would  give  me  no  pain.  I 
apprehend  the  stagnant  waters  in  Lake  Erie  (except  to  the 
westward)  must  be  of  small  dimensions.  The  interior 
lakes  and  ponds,  though  not  included  in  Livingston's  com- 
putation, are,  I  expect,  few  and  small,  unless  the  land 
bears  more  to  the  northwest,  after  it  passes  the  Cuyahoga 
than  it  does  this  side,  the  surplus  will  not  be  consequen- 
tial. It  is  impossible  at  present  to  determine  on  the 
place  for  the  capital.  ]More  information  of  the  extent  of 
the  ceded  lands  and  ye  traverse  of  the  lakes  and  rivers 
wanted,  this  will  caitse  delay  and  require  examination. 
I  believe  it  will  be  on  the  Cuyahoga  it  must  command 
the  greatest  communication,  either  by  land  or  water  of 
any  other  place  on  the  purchase  or  on  any  ceded  lands 
west  of  the  head  of  the  Mohawk.  I  expect  soon  to  leave 
this  for  the  westward,  and  shall  make  mv  residence  there 
until  I  am  ready  to  return  to  Connecticut.  The  men  are 
remarkably  healthy,  though  without  sauce  or  vegetables, 
and  in  good  spirits.      I  hope  they  will  continue  so." 


Plan  ui-  thi;  City  uf  Ci.iiviLLAND  uy  Sktii  Peasi:;    l^<)(>. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  41 

A  survey  of  the  land  chosen  for  the  new  city  was  or- 
dered. A  mile  square  was  the  area  then  covered.  Two 
surveys  were  made — one  by  Amos  Spafford,  and  one  by 
Seth  Pease ;  both  under  the  superintendence  of  AugUvStus 
Porter.  The  result  was  the  preparation  of  two  maps,  one 
by  each  of  the  surveyors,  and  known  to  local  annals  as 
"  Spafford's  Map,"  and  "  Pease's  Map." 

The  Spafford  map  was  found  among  the  papers  of  John 
Milton  HoUey,  at  Salisbury,  Conn.,  in  possession  of  his 
son,  Gov.  Alexander  H.  HoUey.  This  endorsement,  in 
the  handwriting  of  xVmos,  is  found  upon  it:  "  Original 
plan  of  the  town  and  village  of  Cleveland,  Ohio,  Oct.  ist, 
1796."  The  map  was  made  by  pasting  several  sheets  of 
foolscap  together.  Superior  street  at  first  appears  as 
"  Broad,"  which  was  obliterated,  and  the  present  name 
substituted.  The  Public  Square^'  is  shown  by  a  blank 
space,  like  an  enlargement  of  the  streets  crossing  each 
other  at  that  point ;  Ontario  had  been  first  named 
"  Court,"  which  was  erased.  "  On  the  face  of  the  orig- 
inal," to  again  quote  Col.  Whittlesey,  "  there  are  the 
numbers  of  the  lots — two  hundred  and  twenty  in  num- 
ber; the  streets  Superior,  Water,  Mandrake,  Union,  Vine- 
yard, Bath,  Lake,  Erie,  Federal,  Maiden,  Ontario,  Huron, 
Ohio  and  Miami — -fourteen  in  number,  and  the  names  of 
the  parties  who  had  selected  lots.  These  were :  Stoddard, 
lot  49,  northeast  corner  of  Water  and  Superior  streets ; 
vStiles,  lot  53,  northeast  corner  of  Bank  and  vSuperior 
streets;    Landon,  lot   yj,  directly   opposite,    on  the  south 

^=  That  now  historic  park  m  the  very  center  of  Cleveland's  business  sec- 
tion was  laid  out  as  the  Public  Square,  and  so  should  have  remained  to 
the  end  of  time.  vSome  word-tinker  thotight  otherwise  after  the  memorial 
to  Commodore  Perry  had  been  located  at  the  junction  of  Superior  and 
Ontario  streets,  and  on  April  i6th,  1S61,  an  ordinance  was  passed  by  the 
City  Council  declaring  that  ' '  such  portion  of  the  public  ground  of  the  city 
of  Cleveland  as  is  at  present  known  and  commonly  called  the  Public 
Square  be,  and  the  same  shall  be  known  and  designated  as  Monumental 
Square."  (See  codified  ordinances,  passed  March  12th,  1S77,  in  which 
the  above  action  is  confirmed. )  Happily  the  Cleveland  public  had  a  bet- 
ter sense  of  the  fitness  of  things  than  the  Councils  of  1861  and  1877,  and 
the  Public  Square  it  yet  is  in  popular  speech,  and  that  appellation  will  be 
used  here  whenever  Cleveland's  first  park  is  referred  to. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  41 

A  survey  of  the  land  chosen  for  the  new  city  was  or- 
dered. A  mile  square  was  the  area  then  covered.  Two 
surveys  were  made — one  by  Amos  Spafford,  and  one  by 
Seth  Pease ;  both  under  the  superintendence  of  Augustus 
Porter.  The  result  was  the  preparation  of  two  maps,  one 
by  each  of  the  surveyors,  and  known  to  local  annals  as 
"  Spafford 's  Map,"  and  "  Pease's  Map." 

The  vSpafford  map  was  found  among  the  papers  of  John 
Milton  Holley,  at  vSalisbury,  Conn.,  in  possession  of  his 
son,  Gov.  Alexander  H.  Holley.  This  endorsement,  in 
the  handwriting  of  Amos,  is  found  upon  it:  "  Original 
plan  of  the  town  and  village  of  Cleveland,  Ohio,  Oct.  ist, 
1796."  The  map  was  made  by  pasting  several  sheets  of 
foolscap  together.  vSuperior  street  at  first  appears  as 
"  Broad,"  which  was  obliterated,  and  the  present  name 
substituted.  The  Public  Square^''  is  shown  by  a  blank 
space,  like  an  enlargement  of  the  streets  crossing  each 
other  at  that  point ;  Ontario  had  been  first  named 
"  Court,"  which  was  erased.  "  On  the  face  of  the  orig- 
inal," to  again  quote  Col.  Whittlesey,  "there  are  the 
numbers  of  the  lots — two  hundred  and  twenty  in  num- 
ber; the  streets  Superior,  Water,  Mandrake,  Union,  Vine- 
yard, Bath,  Lake,  Erie.  Federal,  Maiden,  Ontario,  Huron, 
Ohio  and  Miami — -fourteen  in  number,  and  the  names  of 
the  parties  who  had  selected  lots.  These  were :  Stoddard, 
lot  49,  northeast  corner  of  Water  and  Superior  streets; 
Stiles,  lot  53,  northeast  corner  of  Bank  and  Superior 
streets;    Landon,  lot    'j'j,  directly   opposite,    on  the  south 

^=  That  now  historic  park  m  the  very  center  of  Cleveland's  business  sec- 
tion was  laid  out  as  the  Public  Square,  and  so  should  have  remained  to 
the  end  of  time.  Some  word-tinker  thoui^iit  otherwise  after  the  memorial 
to  Commodore  Perry  had  been  located  at  the  junction  of  Superior  and 
Ontario  streets,  and  on  April  i6th,  1861,  an  ordinance  was  passed  by  the 
City  Council  declaring  that  ' '  such  portion  of  the  public  ground  of  the  city 
of  Cleveland  as  is  at  present  known  and  commonly  called  the  Public 
Square  be,  and  the  same  shall  be  known  and  designated  as  Monumental 
Square."  (See  codified  ordinances,  passed  March  12th,  1877,  in  which 
the  above  action  is  confirmed. )  Happily  the  Cleveland  public  had  a  bet- 
ter sense  of  the  fitness  of  things  than  the  Councils  of  1861  and  1S77,  and 
the  Public  Square  it  yet  is  in  popular  speech,  and  that  appellation  will  be 
used  here  whenever  Cleveland's  first  park  is  referred  to. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


side  of  Superior  street ;  Baum,  lot  65,  sixteen  rods  east  of 
the  Public  Square;  Shepherd,  lot  69,  and  Chapman,  lot 
"^2,  all  on  the  north  side  of  the  same  street.  '  Pease's 
Hotel,'  as  they  styled  the  surveyor's  cabin,  is  placed  on 
the  line  between  lots  202  and  203,  between  Union  street 
and  the  river.  Northwest  of  it,  about  ten  rods,  on  lot 
201,  their  store  house  is  laid  down.  Vineyard,  Union  and 
Mandrake  streets  were  laid  out  to  secure  access  to  the 
upper  and  lower  landings  on  the  river.  Bath  street  pro- 
vided a  way  of  reaching  the  lake  shore  and  the  mouth  of 
the  river." 

Even  a  city  as  yet  only  upon  paper  must  have  a  name, 
and  the  question  as  to  a  title  for  the  capital  of  New  Con- 
necticut, which  had  probably  been  under  consideration 
for  some  time,  now  demanded  settlement.  The  name 
"  Cuyahoga  "  had  been  proposed,  and  there  are  letters  in 
existence  showing  that  it  was  in  use  to  designate  the  pres- 
ent location  of  Cleveland.  General  Cleaveland  confessed 
himself  unequal  to  the  task,  and,  we  are  told,  "  upon  the 
earnest  suggestion  and  advice  of  the  surveyors,"  was  per- 
suaded to  make  use  of  his  own  name,  and  thus  "  Cleave- 
land, New  Connecticut,"  took  its  place  upon  the  yet  im- 
perfect and  uncertain  inaps  of  the  Great  West. 

Just  when  and  by  whom  the  letter  "  a  "  was  first 
dropped  from  the  name  has  never  been  definitely  deter- 
mined. The  early  records  vary  in  their  custom,  some 
following  the  spelling  adopted  by  the  city's  founder,  and 
others  the  more  convenient  mode  that  in  later  days  be- 
came universal  by  general  consent.  In  Judge  Griswold's 
admirable  paper,  elsewhere  quoted  at  some  length,  on  the 
corporate  birth  and  growth  of  Cleveland,  we  find  this 
statement:  "  There  was  first  made  (in  these  early  sur- 
veys) a  rough  field  note  on  which  these  lots,  streets  and 
grounds  were  marked  and  laid  out,  but  a  more  perfect  and 
complete  map  was  made  by  Seth  Pease  and  finished  be- 
fore the  I  St  of  October  of  that  year  (1796).  On  this  old 
field  map,  there  was  written  in  fair  hand,  as  well  to  per- 
petuate the  General's  memory,  as   the  event   itself,  '  The 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  43 

City  of  Cleveland.'  In  the  spelling,  the  letter  '  a  '  in  the 
first  syllable  always  used  by  the  General  himself  was 
omitted. "»" 

There  may  be  found  in  the  office  of  the  city  clerk  of 
Cleveland  a  small  and  dingy  book,  with  leaves  yellowed 
by  time,  edges  worn  away,  and  the  leather  cover  black 
and  mouldy  with  decay.  It  contains  the  records  of  the 
township  of  Cleveland,  commencing  with  1803,  and  in  this 
the  name  is  almost  altogether  spelled  with  the  "  a,"  until 
about  1832  or  1833. 

When  the  "  Cleaveland  Herald  "  came  into  existence,  in 
1 8 19,  it  was  loyal  to  the  General,  in  that  it  used  his  name 
without  omitting  a  letter,  and  so  continued  up  to  1832, 
when  there  is  a  break  in  the  files  at  the  rooms  of  the 
Western  Reserve  Historical  Society  from  April  12th  to 
June  8th,  1833,  ^^  which  latter  date  it  is  found  without  the 
added  letter. 

One  of  the  many  and  varied  statements  made  upon  the 
subject  is  found  in  the  following,  from  the  pen  of  Hon. 
A.  J.  Williams:'"  "  Some  years  before  his  death.  Gen. 
A.  vS.  Sanford,  an  old  settler  and  printer  in  Cleveland, 
and  one  of  our  most  valued  citizens,  related  to  me  the 
circumstances  that  occasioned  the  dropping  of  the  first 
'  a  '  in  the  original  name  of  our  city,  '  Cleaveland.'  The 
letter  was  not  omitted  in  the  '  Herald  '  until  1832,  but 
prior   to    that    date,    the    '  Cleaveland     Advertiser  '    was 

'^'^  Extract  from  a  paper  entitled.  "  The  Original  Surveys  of  Cleveland," 
by  Samuel  J.  Baker,  in  "Journal  of  the  Association  of  Engineering- 
Societies,"  New  York,  August,  iS 84,  p.  217:  "  There  is  in  the  office  of  the 
city  civil  engineer  on  the  first  page  of  a  volume  entitled,  '  Maps  and 
Profiles,  Vol.  I.,'  a  map  entitled,  'A  Plan  of  the  City  of  Cleaveland.'  There 
is  in  the  lower  right-hand  corner  a  rather  quaint  picture,  representing  two- 
Indians,  one  with  a  gun,  standing  on  a  plain.  To  the  left  is  a  tent,  on 
which  is  painted  the  above  title,  and  to  its  left  a  tree.  In  the  background 
are  some  hills."  This  map  is  accompanied  by  a  statement  made  by  I.  N. 
Pillsbury,  city  civil  engineer,  that  it  is  an  accurate  transcript  made  by  him 
in  1842,  from  the  original  map  and  minutes  of  the  survey  of  Cleveland, 
made  in  1796  by  Seth  Pease.  In  this  copy  the  name  of  the  city  contains, 
the  extra  "  a." 

•"  "  Annals  of  the  Early  Settlers'  Association,"  Vol.  III.,  No.  3,  p.  367, 


44  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

published.  General  Sanford  said  the  paper  for  the 
■■  Advertiser  '  was  purchased  from  the  paper  mill  at  Cuya- 
hoga Falls;  that  for  one  issue  thereof  the  paper  re- 
ceived was  too  small  for  the  heading-  '  Cleaveland  Ad- 
vertiser,' and  that  to  use  the  same,  it  became  necessary 
to  drop  from  the  heading  the  '  a  '  from  the  name  *  Cleave- 
land.' This  was  done,  and  from  about  that  time  the 
name  of  the  village  and  of  our  city  became  Cleveland. " '^^ 

A  more  plausible  theory,  and  one  that  bears  a  closer 
mark  of  genuineness,  is  stated  as  follows:  That  when 
the  "  Herald"  was  being  printed,  a  "  sheep's-foot," — 
something  any  old  printer  will  know  all  about — struck  the 
letter  "A"  in  the  heading,  and  so  battered  it  that  it  was 
useless.  As  new  type  could  not  be  had  this  side  of 
Buffalo,  or  perhaps  New  York  or  Philadelphia,  the  dam- 
aged "A"  was  left  out,  and  never  again  found  its  place  in 
the  heading.  J.  A.  Howells,  an  Ashtabula  editor,  says 
that  when  his  father  was  clerk  of  the  Ohio  Senate,  about 
1856,  one  of  the  members  of  the  legislature,  who  had 
been  a  printer  on  the  "  Herald,"  made  the  above  state- 
ment as  one  of  fact,  and  that  J.  A.  Harris,  for  years 
■editor  of  that  newspaper,  confirmed  it.  ^Ir.  Howells 
.adds,  in  answer  to  the  Sanford  theory,  that  he  com^pared 
issues  of  the  "  Herald,"  both  before  and  after  the  drop- 
ping of  the  "A,"  and  found  there  had  been  no  change — 
that  the  paper  was  of  the  same  size  right  along. ■^^'* 

In  returning  to  the  original  survevs,  we  can  do  no  bet- 

■**  From  a  speech  delivered  by  Hon.  Rufus  P.  Spalding  before  the  Early 
'Settlers'  Association,  in  iSSo:  "  '  The  town  was  called  by  my  name,'  said 
the  General,  and  so  it  was,  C-l-e-  a-v-e-1-a-n-d ;  and  that  was  the  way  in 
which  the  name  was  spelled,  written  and  printed,  tmtil  an  act  of  piracy 
-was  committed  on  the  word  by  the  publisher  of  a  newspaper,  something 
■over  fort}'  years  ago,  who,  in  procuring  a  new  head-piece  for  his  paper, 
found  it  convenient  to  increase  the  capacity  of  his  iron  frame  by  reducing 
the  number  of  letters  in  the  name  of  the  city:  Hence  the  '  Cleveland 
Advertiser.'  and  not  Moses  Cleaveland,  settled  the  orthograjjhjr  of  the 
Forest  City's  name  for  all  time  to  come.  Generally  this  story  is  told  in 
■connection  with  the  '  Herald'  rather  than  the  '  Advertiser.'  " 

^""^  "  Some  Earl}-  History,"  by  D.  W.  Manchester,  "  Annals  of  the  Earl 3- 
Settlers'  Association,"  Vol.  HI,  No.  3,  p.  366. 


r 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  4s 


ter  than  use  a  copious  extract  from  a  monograph  ■"*  pre- 
pared for  presentation  before  the  Early  Settlers'  Associa- 
tion, by  an  eminent  member  of  the  Cleveland  bar,  Judge 
Seneca  O.  Griswold.      He  said: 

"  In  the  old  field  map,  the  name  of  Superior  street  was 
first  written  '  Broad,'  Ontario  '  Court,'  and  Miami  '  Deer;' 
but  these  words  were  crossed  out  with  ink,  and  the  same 
names  written  as  given  in  Pease's  map  and  minutes.  In 
Spafford's  map,  '  Maiden  Lane,'  which  led  from  Ontario 
street  along  the  side  of  the  hill  to  Vineyard  Lane,  was 
omitted,  and  the  same  was  never  worked  or  used.  Spaf- 
ford  also  laid  out  Superior  Lane,  which  was  not  on  the 
Pease  map,  which  has  since  been  widened,  and  become 
that  portion  of  Superior  street  from  Water  down  the  hill 
to  the  river.  Bath  street  is  not  described  in  the  Pease 
minutes,  but  is  laid  out  on  the  map,  and  is  referred  to  in 
the  minutes,  and  the  boundaries  and  extent  appear  on  the 
map.  The  Square  also  is  not  described  in  the  Pease  min- 
utes, but  is  referred  to  in  the  description  of  Ontario  and 
Superior  streets,  and  is  marked  and  laid  out  on  the  map. 
In  Spafford's  minutes  the  Square  is  thus  described :  '  The 
Square  is  laid  out  at  the  intersection  of  vSuperior  street  and 
Ontario  street,  and  contains  ten  acres.  The  center  of  the 
junction  of  the  two  roads  is  the  exact  center  of  the  Square. ' 
These  surveys,  the  laying  out  of  the  lots  bounding  on  the 
Square,  their  adoption  by  the  land  company,  the  subse- 
quent sale  by  said  company  of  the  surrounding  lots  abut- 
ting upon  it,  make  the  Square  as  much  land  devoted  to 
public  use  as  the  streets  themselves,  and  forever  forbids 
the  same  being  given  up  to  private  uses.  The  easterly 
line  of  the  city  was  the  east  line  of  one  tier  of  lots,  beyond 
Erie  .street,  coinciding  with  the  present  line  of  Canfield 
street.  The  east  line  began  at  the  lake  and  extended 
southerly  one  tier  of  lots  south  of  Ohio  street.  The  line 
then  ran  to  the  river,  down  to  the  river,  skipping  the 
lower  bend  of  the  river  to   \^ineyard  Lane,  thence  along 

''•"*  "  The  Corporate  Birth  and  Growth  of  Cleveland,"  by  Hon.  Seneca  O. 
Griswold.     "  Annals  of  the  Early  Settlers'  Association,"  No.  5,  p.  37. 


46  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

Vineyard  Lane  to  the  junction  of  Water  with  vSuperior 
street,  thence  to  the  river,  thence  down  the  river  to  its 
mouth.  Superior  street,  as  the  survey  shows,  was  132 
feet  in  width,  the  other  streets  99  feet.  It  is  hardly  pos- 
sible to  fully  appreciate  the  sagacity  and  foresight  of  this 
leader  of  the  surveying  party.  With  full  consciousness 
of  what  would  arise  in  its  future  growth,  he  knew  the  city 
would  have  a  suburban  population,  and  he  directed  the 
immediate  outlying  land  to  be  laid  off  in  ten-acre  lots,  and 
the  rest  of  the  township  into  lOO-acre  lots,  instead  of  the 
larger  tracts  into  which  the  other  townships  were  di- 
vided. The  next  year  the  ten-acre  lots  were  surveyed  and 
laid  out.  They  extended  on  the  east  to  the  line  of  what 
is  now  Willson  avenue,  and  on  the  south  to  the  top  of  the 
brow  of  the  ravine  formed  by  Kingsbury  Run,  and  ex- 
tended westwardly  to  the  river  bank.  Owing  to  the  pe- 
culiar topography  of  the  place,  some  of  the  two-acre  lots 
had  more  and  others  less  than  the  named  quantity  of  land, 
and  the  same  occurred  in  the  survey  and  laying  out  of  the 
ten-acre  lots.  The  flats  were  not  surveyed  off  into  lots, 
and  there  was  an  unsurveyed  strip  between  the  west  line 
of  the  ten-acre  lots  and  the  river,  above  and  below  the 
mouth  of  the  Kingsbury  Run,  running  south  to  a  point 
west  of  hundred-acre  lot  278.  Three  streets  were  laid  out 
through  the  ten-acre  lots,  each  99  feet  in  width  to  cor- 
respond with  the  city  streets,  called  the  South,  Middle 
and  North  Highway.  The  southerly  one  becoming  Kins- 
man street,  the  Middle,  Euclid  street  at  its  intersection 
with  Huron ;  the  southerly  one  received  its  name  from 
the  fact  that  Kinsman,  the  east  township  of  the  seventh 
line  of  townships,  was  at  a  very  early  period  distinguished 
for  its  wealth  and  population.  The  Middle  was  called 
Euclid  becaiise  that  was  the  name  of  the  next  township 
east.  The  North  Highway  was  a  continuation  of  Federal 
street,  but  changed  to  St.  Clair,  after  the  name  of  the  ter- 
ritorial governor,  whose  name,  in  the  minds  of  his  admir- 
ers, was  a  synonym  of  Federal." 

As  yet  no  civil  township  had  been  organized  in  this  por- 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  47 

tion  of  the  present  Cuyahoga  County,  the  territory  upon 
the  east  side  of  the  river  being  a  part  of  Washington 
County,  of  the  Northwest  Territory.  It  was  a  question 
whether  legal  jurisdiction  there  was  held  by  the  territorial 
authorities  or  by  the  Connecticut  Land  Company.  The 
section  west  of  the  Cuyahoga  River  nominally  belonged 
to  the  county  of  Wayne,  and,  although  the  pre-emption 
rights  had  been  purchased  by  the  land  company,  the 
claims  of  the  Indians  had  not  been  satisfied,  and  they 
were  still  in  undisputed  possession. 

The  survey  township,  in  which  Cleveland  was  situated,, 
was  one  of  the  six  which  had  been  selected  to  be  sold  for 
the  direct  benefit  of  the  company  as  an  organization,  and 
not  divided  among  the  stockholders,  as  was  the  case  with 
so  many  of  the  other  towns  of  the  Reserve.  The  plan,  as 
proposed,  was  to  first  sell  only  a  quarter  of  the  townships ; 
and  a  proposition  was  submitted  by  Augustus  Porter,  the 
chief  of  the  surveyors,  as  to  the  manner  in  which  such 
sale  was  to  be  carried  out.  This  plan  has  been  described 
in  full:  "  In  the  first  place,  city  lots  Number  58  to  63  in- 
clusive, and  81  to  87  inclusive,  comprising  all  the  lots  bor- 
dering on  the  Public  Square,  and  one  more,  were  to  be  re- 
served for  public  purposes,  as  were  also  '  the  point  of  land 
west  of  the  town'  (which  we  take  to  be  the  low  peninsula 
southwest  of  the  viaduct),  and  some  other  portions  of  the 
flats  if  thought  advisable.  Then  Mr.  Porter  proposed  to 
begin  with  lot  number  one,  and  offer  for  sale  every  fourth 
number  in  succession  throughout  the  towns,  on  these 
terms.  Each  person  who  would  engage  to  become  an 
actual  settler  in  1797  might  purchase  one  town  lot,  one 
ten  or  twenty-acre  lot,  and  one  hundred-acre  lot,  or 
as  much  less  as  he  might  choose ;  settlement,  however, 
to  be  imperative  in  every  case.  The  price  of  town  lots 
was  to  be  fif tj"  dollars ;  that  of  ten-acre  lots  three  dol- 
lars per  acre ;  that  of  twenty-acre  lots  two  dollars  per 
acre ;  and  that  of  hundred-acre  lots  a  dollar  and  a 
half  per  acre.  The  town  lots  were  to  be  paid  for  in 
ready   cash ;  for   the   larger  tracts  twenty  per  cent,  was 


48  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


to  be  paid  down,  and  the  rest  in  three  annual  installments 
with  annual  interest.  It  will  be  seen  that  even  at  that  time 
the  projectors  of  Cleveland  had  a  pretty  good  opinion  of 
its  future;  valuing' the  almost  unbroken  forest  which  con- 
stituted the  city  at  twenty-five  dollars  per  acre  in  cash, 
while  equally  good  land  outside  its  limits  was  to  be  sold 
for  from  three  dollars  down  to  a  dollar  and  a  half  per  acre, 
with  three  years'  credit."*" 

Not  many  incidents  have  been  placed  upon  record  of 
the  life  and  labors  of  the  little  party,  who,  during  the 
summer  and  early  fall  of  1 796,  were  industriously  engaged 
in  laying  the  foundations  of  the  Forest  City.  It  was  by 
no  means  a  life  of  ease  and  pleasure — the  surveyors,  as 
Colonel  Whittlesey  says,  "  were  not  always  sure  of  sup- 
per at  night,  nor  of  their  drink  of  New  England  rum, 
which  constituted  an  important  part  of  their  rations ;  their 
well  provided  clothing  began  to  show  rents,  from  so  much 
clambering  over  logs  and  through  thickets;  their  shoes 
gave  out  rapidly,  as  they  were  incessantly  on  foot,  and 
were  where  no  cobblers  could  be  found  to  repair  them ; 
every  day  was  one  of  toil,  and  frequently  of  discoinfort. 
The  woods,  and  particularly  the  swamps,  were  filled 
with  ravenous  mosquitoes,  which  were  never  idle,  day  or 
night ;  in  rainy  weather  the  bushes  were  wet,  and  in  clear 
weather  the  heat  was  oppressive.  It  was  not  always  prac- 
ticable to  have  provisions,  promptly  delivered  to  the  sur- 
veying parties,  so  that  their  work  could  go  on  without  in- 
terruption." 

x\ffairs  had  reached  a  rather  unpleasant  strait  by  the 
later  days  of  vSeptember,  when  the  surveyors  and  their 
assistants,  who  had  collected  at  headquarters,  found  them- 
selves out  of  meat,  with  but  little  flour,  a  couple  of 
cheese,  and  some  chocolate.  As  they  were  figuring  on 
ways  and  means,  some  sharp  eye  saw  a  bear  swimming 
across  the  river.  There  was  a  rush  for  ouns  and  canoes, 
and   in   the   midst   of    the   excitement   the   bear   paused, 

■*"  "  History  of  Cuyahoga  County,"  compiled  by  Crisfield  Johnson,  1879, 


■■:>■ 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAXD.  4g 

turned  about,  landed  upon  the  western  shore,  and  carried 
the  anticipated  fresh  meat  of  the  hungry  men  into  the 
woods.  The  success  attending  a  raid  upon  the  reptile 
kingdoiTi  was  more  gratifying,  as  we  find  in  Holley's 
Journal  \\iQ  entry:  "  Munson  caught  a  rattlesnake,  which 
we  boiled  and  ate."  Later  in  the  day  a  party  with  provis- 
ions and  cattle  came  over  from  Conneaut,  and  were  re- 
ceived with  an  unquestioned  welcome. 

A  readjustment  of  the  arrangement  between  the  Con- 
necticut Land  Company  and  the  surveyors'  staff  was  one  of 
the  outcomes  of  the  hardships  of  the  expedition,  which  led 
to  a  greater  claim  for  compensation  than,  at  first,  had  been 
agreed  upon.  An  informal  agreement  had  been  made  in 
July,  at  Conneaut,  General  Cleaveland  speaking  for  the 
company,  and  the  men  for  themselves. 

A  meeting  was  held  "  at  Cleaveland  "*'  on  the  30th  of 
September,  for  the  purpose  of  carrying  this  agreement 
into  effect.  General  Cleaveland  signed  for  the  company, 
and  forty-one  of  the  men  for  themselves.  The  township 
chosen  for  division  was  that  next  east  of  Cleveland ;  and 
in  deference  to  the  great  mathematician — a  patron  saint  of 
the  surveyor's  art — the  name  *'  Euclid  "  was  chosen  as  its 
designation — a  suggestion  credited  to  Moses  Warren. 

It  was  mutually  agreed  that  each  party  was  to  have  an 
equal  share  in  the  township ;  each  man  pledged  himself 
to  remain  faithfully  in  the  service  of  the  company  to  the 
end  of  the  year,  and  a  further  pledge  was  made  as  fol- 
lows: in  the  year  1797  there  should  be  eleven  families 
settled  in  the  township ;  eleven  houses  built ;  and  two 
acres  of  wheat  sown  around  each  house.  In  1 798,  eighteen 
more  families  were  to  settle ;  build  eighteen  additional 
houses;  and  five  acres  cleared  for  wheat  around  each 
residence.  Fifty  acres  were  to  be  sown  to  grass.  A 
further  increase   in   all   these   respects   was   to    be    made 

■"  "A  contract  made  at  Cleaveland,  Sept.  30th,  1796,  between  Moses 
Cleaveland,  agent  of  the  Connecticut  Land  Company,  and  the  employees 
of  the  company,  in  reference  to  the  sale  and  settlement  of  the  township 
of  Euclid,  No.  S,  in  the  eleventh  range."  From  memoranda  of  Orrin 
Harmon,  Esq.     "Whittlesey's  Early  History  of  Cleveland,"  p.  230. 


50  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

in  the  year  following;  and  there  must  be,  in  1800, 
forty-one  families  resident  in  the  township.  In  case  salt 
springs  were  discovered  on  a  lot,  it  was  to  be  excepted 
from  the  agreement,  and  other  lands  given  instead.  A 
meeting  of  the  new  proprietors  of  Euclid  was  held  on  the 
same  day  and  in  the  same  place,  where  lots  were  cast  as 
to  who  were  to  fulfill  the  conditions  of  settlement  in 
1797,  in  i79cS,  etc. 

Near  the  middle  of  October,  as  the  premonitions  of 
winter  warned  those  who  were  to  return  to  the  East  that 
it  was  time  to  be  going,  preparations  were  rapidly  made 
for  departure.  By  the  1 8th  of  the  month  the  surveyors 
and  their  assistants  were"  gone,  leaving  Joseph  Landon 
and  Job  P.  vStiles  and  his  wife  Tabitha  in  sole  charge  of 
the  paper  city.  Elijah  Gun  and  Anna,  his  wife,  were  in 
a  like  manner  left  in  possession  of  Castle  Stow,  at  Con- 
neaut.  The  Stileses  had  announced  their  intention  of  be- 
coming actual  settlers,  and  a  cabin  was  constructed  for 
them  on  lot  53,  on  Bank  street,  near  Frankfort  street. 
Joseph  Landon  soon  abandoned  his  purpose  of  re- 
maining permanently,  and  returned  to  the  East  before 
the  setting  in  of  winter.  The  Stileses  were  not  left  al- 
together alone,  however,  as  Edward  Paine,  the  subse- 
quent founder  of  Painesville,  Lake  County,  became  per- 
haps an  inmate  of  their  home,  or  at  least  a  neighbor,*^ 
and  began  to  trade  with  the  Indians — the  Chippewas, 
Ottawas,  etc.,  who  made  their  winter  camps  on  the  west 
side  of  the  river,  and  trapped  and  hunted  upon  both  sides. 
They  also  had  as  neighbors  the  Seneca  Indians,  who  en- 
camped at  the  foot  of  the  bluff,  between  Superior  and 
Vineyard  streets.  A  chief  of  this  tribe  was  the  famous 
Seneca,  who  was  friendly  to  the  whites,  and  is  spoken  of 
by  those  who  knew  hiin  as  "  a  noble  speciinen   of  Indian 

■'-  The  statement  is  usually  to  the  effect  that  Captain  Paine  made  his 
home  in  the  Stiles  cabin.  George  E.  Paine,  of  Painesville,  says  that  he 
"  never  lived  m  Cleveland;"  that  he  spent  some  part  of  the  winter  with 
Stiles,  but  most  of  it  with  the  Indian  chief  "  Old  Seneca,"  on  the  banks 
of  Grand  River,  where  Painesville  is  now  situated.  ' '  Annals  of  the  Early 
Settlers'  Association,"  No.  7,  ■^.  24. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  31 

character."  The  Indians  supplied  their  white  neighbors 
in  the  cabin  on  the  hill  with  game,  and  showed  their 
friendship  in  various  ways.  Their  hunting  grounds  in 
the  winter  were  along  the  Cuyahoga,  Mahoning,  Grand, 
Tuscarawas,  Black  and  Kilbuck,  and  in  the  spring  they 
sold  their  furs  to  the  traders,  and  sailed  away  in  their 
bark  canoes  to  the  Sandusky  and  Miami,  where  they 
passed  the  summer.  The  last  that  was  seen  of  Seneca  in 
this  region  was  as  late  as   1 809. 

The  surveyors,  who  worked  their  way  back  through  the 
autumn  weather  to  old  Connecticut,  did  not  have  altogether 
a  pleasure  excursion  in  the  going.  vSurveyor  Holley  again 
takes  up  the  thread  of  narration,  from  which  an  occasional 
extract  is  made:  "  Tuesday,  Oct.  i8th,  we  left  Cuyahoga 
at  3  o'clock  17  minutes  for  Home.  We  left  at  Cuyahoga 
Job  Stiles  and  wife  and  Joseph  Landon,  with  provisions 
for  the  winter.  Wm.  B.  Hall,  Titus  V.  Munson  and 
Olney  Rice  engaged  to  take  all  the  pack  horses  to  Geneva. 
Day  pleasant,  and  fair  wind  about  southeast;  rowed 
about  seven  and  a  half  miles  and  encamped  for  the  night 
on  the  beach.  There  were  fourteen  men  on 
board  the  boat,  and  never,  I  presume,  were  fourteen 
men  more  anxious  to  pursue  an  object  than  we  were  to 
get  forward."  At  3  o'clock  on  the  following  morning, 
as  the  moon  shone  brightly,  they  hoisted  sail  and  again 
moved  eastward.  "  Just  before  sunrise  we  passed  the 
first  settlement  (except  those  made  by  ourselves)  that  is 
on  the  shore  of  the  lake  in  New  Connecticut.  This  is 
done  by  the  Canandaigua  Association  Co.,  under  the  di- 
rection of  Mayor  Wells  and  Mr.  Wildair."  They  were 
compelled  to  run  ashore  because  of  the  high  wind,  and 
remained  in  camp  a  mile  east  of  the  Chagrin  River  until 
the  following  day.  They  reached  Conneaut  about  noon  of 
the  2ist,  "  took  inventory  of  the  articles  left  there,  and 
about  four  o'clock  in  the  morning,  that  is,  on  Saturday 
the  22nd,  we  hoisted  sail  for  Presque  Isle;"  passed  on  to 
Buffalo  Creek,  which  they  reached  in  the  evening  of  Oc- 
tober  23rd,    struck   a   fire,  and   were   asleep  in  less  than 


s-^  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

thirty  minutes  from  the  time  of  landing.  They  reached 
Canandaigua  at  sunset  of  the  29th,  and  proceeded  from 
thence  by  the  usual  route  of  travel.  This  is  the  last  we 
shall  see  of  this  faithful  chronicler,  who  settled  in  Con- 
necticut, and  raised  a  family,  among  his  sons  being  a 
future  governor  of  that  State. 

When  the  party  reached  home  with  their  reports,  Seth 
Pease  carefully  prepared  another  map  of  Cleveland,  that 
in  its  main  features  was  like  the  one  already  described. 
The  terms  of  sale  suggested  by  Mr.  Porter  were  substan- 
tially confirmed  by  the  company,  who  also  donated  to 
Mrs.  Stiles*^  one  city  lot.  one  ten-acre  lot,  and  one  one- 
hundred-acre  lot  in  the  city  and  township  of  Cleveland — 
no  doubt  as  a  recognition  of  the  fact  that  she  was  the  first 
woinan  resident.  A  one-hundred-acre  lot  was  also  given 
Mrs.  Anna  Gun,  who  had  been  temporarily  located  in 
Conneaut,  but  contemplated  settlement  in  Cleveland.  A 
gift  of  a  like  lot  was  made  to  James  Kingsbury  and 
wife — the  first  emigrants  to  the  Reserve  who  had  no 
connection  whatever  with  the  company ;  and  also  a  city 
lot  to  Nathaniel  Doan,  who  had  acted  as  blacksmith  for 
the  company — the  agreement  in  his  case  being  that  he 
should  reside  upon  it,  and  provide  for  the  pioneer  settle- 
ment a  blacksmith  shop.  ^*  This  contract  was  carried  out, 
and  among  the  earliest  sounds  of  industrial  toil  heard  in 
the  new  city  was  the  ring  of  the  hammer  upon  Nathaniel's 
anvil. 

■"■^  The  Stiles  family  left  Cleveland  in  1800,  and  the  husband  lived  until 
1 8 50,  when  he  died  in  Leicester,  Vermont. 

*^  Extract  from  the  minutes  of  the  Connecticut  Land  Company: 
"  Whereas,  The  Directors  have  given  to  Tabitha  Cumi  Stiles,  wife  of  Job 
P.  Stiles,  one  city  lot,  one  ten-acre  lot,  and  one  one-  hundred-acre  lot ;  to 
Anna  Gun,  wife  of  Elijah  Gun,  one  one-hundred-acre  lot;  to  James  Kings- 
bury and  wife,  one  one-hundred-acre  lot;  to  Nathaniel  Doan,  one  city  lot, 
he  being  obliged  to  reside  thereon  as  a  blacksmith,  and  all  in  the  city  and 
town  of  Cleaveland.     Voted,  that  these  grants  be  approved. ' ' 


CHAPTER  III. 

THREE    TRYING    YEARS. 

Through  the  leafy  avenues  of  the  June  that  followed, 
the  eyes  of  the  waiting  pioneers  upon  the  Cuyahoga  saw 
the  advance  guard  of  the  second  corps  of  surveyors  who 
had  been  sent  out  for  another  year  of  labor.  Some 
changes  had  occurred  in  the  winter.  Mr.  Paine  had  per- 
manently departed  in  the  early  spring  for  a  point  to  the 
eastward,  where  he  laid  the  foundations  of  the  little  city 
that  bears  his  name.  In  May,  the  Guns  had  come  from 
Conneaut,  thus  making  the  second  family  to  find  a  resi- 
dence in  Cleveland. 

In  the  Jantiary  preceding  (1797),  a  meeting  of  the  Con- 
necticut Land  Company  had  been  held,  at  which  the  di- 
rectors and  trustees  were  instructed  to  urge  upon  the  Leg- 
islature the  expediency  of  erecting  a  county  which  should 
include  all  of  the  Western  Reserve.  A  committee  on 
behalf  of  the  stockholders  was  appointed  to  inquire  into 
the  causes  of  the  "  very  great  expense  of  the  company 
during  the  first  year ;  the  causes  which  have  prevented 
the  completion  of  the  survey;  and  why  the  surveyors  and 
agents  have  not  made  their  report."  An  asseSvSment  of 
five  dollars  per  share  of  the  company  stock  was  ordered ; 
and  a  committee  of  partition  appointed,  consisting  of 
Daniel  Holbrook,  Moses  Warren,  Jr.,  Seth  Pease  and 
Amos  vSpafford.  In  the  hands  of  another  committee  was 
reposed  the  duty  of  making  a  general  inquiry  into  the 
conduct  of  the  directors ;  which  body  made  a  report 
in  February,  exonerating  these  officials  in  all  respects. 
It  was  voted  that  "  Moses  Cleaveland's  contract  with 
Joseph  Brant,  Esq.,  in  behalf  of  the  Mohawks,  of  Grand 
River,  Canada,  be  ratified." 

The  Rev.  Seth   Hart  was  appointed  superintendent  of 


S4  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

this  vSecond  expedition,  and  Seth  Pease  the  principal  sur- 
veyor. Just  why  General  Cleaveland  did  not  return  has 
not  been  spread  upon  the  official  record ;  and  it  is  with  no 
small  reluctance  that  we  see  this  stalwart  figure  disappear 
from  these  pages  until  near  a  century  later,  when  a  patri- 
otic body,  in  the  city  he  founded,  embodied  in  bronze  a 
lasting  recognition  of  his  services. 

In  addition  to  the  leaders  above  named,  we  find  in  the 
party  a  number  of  those  who  had  gone  out  the  year  be- 
fore— particularly  Amos  Spafford,  Richard  M.  Stoddard, 
Moses  Warren,  Joseph  Landon,  Theodore  Shepherd,  and 
Joseph  Tinker.  Samuel  Spafford,  a  son  of  Amos,  was 
one  of  the  employees. 

Mr.  Pease  had  charge  of  the  funds,  and  the  details  of 
outfitting.  He  organized  at  Schenectady.  He  was  as- 
sisted in  this  labor  by  Thomas  Mather,  of  Albany,  N.  Y. 
There  seems  to  have  been  a  temporary  dearth  of  funds, 
as  we  find  this  entry  in  the  Pease  journal,  under  date  of 
April  14th:  "  vSpent  the  week  thus  far  in  getting  neces- 
sary supplies.  The  want  of  ready  cash  subjects  me  to 
considerable  inconvenience.  Mr.  Mather  purchases  the 
greater  part  on  his  own  credit;  and  takes  my  order  on 
Mr.  Ephraim  Root,  treasurer." 

On  April  15th  '.'  rations  began  to  be  issued,"  and  on 
the  20th  "  six  boats  started  up  the  Mohawk.  Each  mess 
of  six  men  received  for  daily  rations,  chocolate,  one 
pound;  pork,  five  pounds;  sugar,  a  small  porringer;  one 
bottle  of  rum ;  one  half-bottle  of  tea ;  flour  or  bread  not 
limited.  A  man,  his  wife  and  a  small  child,  taken  in  one 
of  the  boats."  They  went  by  Fort  Schuyler,  Fort  vStan- 
wix,  Oswego  Falls  portage,  and  the  garrison  at  Niagara, 
which  they  reached  on  May  14th.  Five  days  later  found 
them  at  Buffalo,  where  there  awaited  them  the  party 
which  had  come  overland.  The  latter  were  sent  ahead 
with  the  stock ;  the  expedition  by  boat  reached  Cattarau- 
gus, where  they  "  tried  to  get  an  interpreter,  but  could 
not;  the  Indians  stole  eight  to  ten  pounds  of  our 
pork  and   ham."      They  reached   Conneaut  and  Port  In- 


3 
O 

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o 


3 

o 

o 
cc 

o 


O 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  js 

dependence  on  the  night  of  the  26th.  "  We  found 
that  Mr.  Gun's  family  had  removed  to  Cuyahoga.  Mr. 
Kingsbury,  his  wife  and  one  child,  were  in  a  low  .state 
of  health,  to  whom  we  administered  what  relief  we 
could." 

On  June  ist  they  reached  Cleveland.  The  land  party 
and  some  of  the  delayed  boats  came  later,  bringing  the 
melancholy  news  that  David  Eldridge,  one  of  the  men, 
had  been  drowned  in  an  attempt  to  swim  his  horse  across 
Grand  River.  The  body  was  brought  on  to  Cleveland 
and  buried  in  its  first  cemetery,  on  the  east  side  of  On- 
tario street,  just  north  of  Prospect  street.  The  burial 
service  in  this,  the  city's  first  funeral,  was  read  by  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Hart,  following  the  form  of  the  Episcopal 
Church.  The  details  of  this  sad  accident  are  thus  told 
by  one  of  the  surveyors  *'  in  charge  of  the  party :  "  I  was 
ordered  with  a  party  of  men  to  take  the  horses  and  cattle 
to  Cleveland.  We  got  along  very  well  until  we  got  to 
Grand  River ;  we  had  no  boat  or  other  means  of  convey- 
ance across,  except  we  found  an  old  Indian  bark  canoe 
which  was  very  leaky — we  had  one  horse,  which  I  knew 
was  a  good  swimmer.  I  mounted  him,  and  directed  the 
men  to  drive  the  others  after  me.  I  had  got  perhaps  half 
way  when  I  heard  the  men  on  shore  scream — I  looked 
back  and  saw  two  men,  with  horses  in  the  water,  but  had 
parted  from  them — one  of  them  got  ashore,  and  the  other, 
David  Eldridge,  made  poor  progress.  I  turned  my  horse 
as  quick  as  I  could,  and  guided  him  up  within  reach  of 
him,  when  I  very  inconsiderately  took  hold  of  his  hand, 
as  soon  as  I  could.  This  turned  the  horse  over,  and  we 
were  both  under  the  water  in  an  instant ;  but  we  sepa- 
rated, and  I  again  mounted  the  horse  and'  looked  back  and 
saw  him  just  raise  his  head  above  the  water,  but  he  sunk 
to  rise  no  more.  We  built  a  raft  of  flood  wood,  lashed 
together  with  barks,  and  placing  on  it  three  men  who  were 
good  swimmers,  they  with  hooks  drew  up  the  body,  but 
this  took  some  time — perhaps  two  hours.     We  took  some 

*^  Statement  made  by  Amzi  Atwater,  in  1850. 


S6 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


pains  to  restore  the  body  to  life,  but  in  vain.  Two  of  our 
boats  came  up  soon  after  with  a  large  portion  of  the  men. 
They  took  the  body  to  Cleveland,  and  buried  it  in  the 
then  newly  laid  out  burying  ground."^" 

Headquarters  were  located  at  Cleveland,  and  the  sur- 
veying parties  went  out  upon  their  labors.  The  little 
town  put  on  an  appearance  of  activity.  A  piece  of  land 
was  cleared  on  top  of  the  bank,  near  the  west  end  of  Su- 
perior street,  fenced  in,  and  a  garden  planted. 

There  were  several  notable  arrivals  during  this  year. 
One  of  these  was  Lorenzo  Carter^ — of  whom  we  shall  hear 
anon — who  came  from  Rutland,  Vermont,  and  had  spent 
the  previous  winter  in  Canada.  He  erected  a  log  cabin 
on  the  lowlands  near  the  river,  not  far  from  Union  (now 

Spring)  street.  He  was  a 
man  of  energy,  and  a  daring 
and  successful  hunter,  who 
soon  made  his  presence  felt 
in  various  ways,  and  left  an 
impress  upon  the  community. 
Near  the  same  time  came 
his  brother-in-law,  Ezekiel 
Hawley. 

Another  arrival  of  impor- 
tance    was     that     of     James 
Kingsbury,  whose  brief  resi- 
jAMKs  KixKsiaRY.  ^^^^^   -^  Conueaut  has  been 

noted  above.  His  experience  in  the  wilderness,  probably 
similar  to  that  of  many  other  early  settlers,  was  one  of 
extreme  privation  and  hardship,  and  as  an  illustrative 
case  I  relate  it  somewhat  in  full.  Col.  Whittlesey  speaks 
of  him  as  "  the  first  adventurer  on  his  own  account,  who 
arrived  on  the  company's  purchase,"  and  we  have  already 

■*«  Statement  of  Alonzo  Carter  (son  of  Lorenzo  Carter)  made  in  1S58: 
■"  Persons  were  buried  in  the  old  burj-ing  ground  in  1797.  A  Mr.  Eldridge 
was  drowned  at  Grand  River,  and  his  body  was  brought  here.  We  got 
some  boards  and  made  a  strong  box  for  a  coffin.  We  put  him  in,  and 
strung  it  on  a  pole  with  cords,  to  carry  him  up  to  the  burying  ground. 
Built  a  fence  around  the  grave." 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  37 

noted  the  o-racious  and  u'enerous  manner  in  which  the 
company  recognized  that  fact.  He  came  from  Alsted, 
New  Hampshire,  and  arrived  at  Conneaut  soon  after  the 
first  appearance  of  the  surveyors.  He  was  accompanied 
by  his  wife  and  three  children. 

When  the  surveyors  had  gone  home  in  the  fall  of  1796, 
the  exigencies  of  the  situation  demanded  his  return  to  his 
old  New  England  home.  He  made  the  journey  by  way 
of  Erie,  Buffalo  and  Canandaigua,  on  horseback,  and  ex- 
pected to  complete  it  within  four  to  six  weeks.  He 
reached  the  old  home  with  no  special  delay  or  accident, 
but  was  there  attacked  by  fever.  As  soon  as  he  dared 
mount  a  horse  he  set  out  for  home,  filled  with  anxiety  for 
those  who  were  awaiting  his  return.  He  reached  Buffalo 
in  a  state  of  exhaustion,  on  December  3rd,  and  on  the 
following  day  pushed  forward  into  the  snowy  wilderness. 
He  was  accompanied  by  an  Indian  guard.  For  three 
weeks  the  snow  fell  without  intermission,  until  at  places 
it  was  up  to  the  chin.  Weak  in  body,  and  full  of  trouble 
for  his  loved  ones,  he  pushed  on  and  on,  although  it  was 
December  24th  before  his  cabin  was  reached.  His  horse 
had  died  from  exhaustion,  and  he  was  not  in  a  much  bet- 
ter condition. 

Meanwhile  the  wife  and  children  subsisted  as  best  they 
could.  The  Indians  supplied  her  with  meat  until  the 
real  weather  of  winter  came  on.  She  had  for  company  a 
nephew  of  her  husband's,  a  boy  of  thirteen,  w^hose  es- 
pecial charge  was  a  yoke  of  oxen  and  a  cow.  Day  after 
day  went  by,  and  still  her  husband  did  not  come ;  and  as 
if  cold  and  loneliness  were  not  enough,  the  supreme  pain 
of  motherhood  was  added,  and  the  first  white  native  son 
of  the  Reserve  became  a  member  of  the  household. 

She  had  regained  sufficient  strength  to  move  about  the 
house,  and  had  about  decided  to  remove  to  Erie,  when 
toward  evening  she  looked  up,  and  her  husband  was  at 
the  door. 

Mrs.  Kingsbury  was  then  taken  with  fever ;  the  food  left 
by  the  surveyors  was  about  exhausted ;  and  the  snow  pre- 


j-<?  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLFA' ELAND. 

vented  calls  upon  their  Indian  friends.  Before  his 
strength  had  fully  returned,  Mr.  Kingsbury  was  forced  to 
make  a  journey  to  Erie,  to  procure  food.  He  could  not 
take  the  oxen,  because  of  the  lack  of  a  path  through  the 
snow,  and  so  he  set  forth  hauling  a  hand  sled.  He 
reached  Erie,  obtained  a  bushel  of  wheat,  and  hauled  it 
back  to  Conneaut,  where  it  w^as  cracked  and  boiled  and 
eaten.  The  cow  died  from  the  effects  of  eating  the 
browse  of  oak  trees,  and  with  it  gone,  the  chances  of  life 
for  the  little  one  were  meagre  indeed.  In  a  month  it 
died.  Mr.  Kingsbury  and  the  boy  made  a  rude  coffin 
from  a  pine  box  which  the  surveyors  had  left.  "  As 
they  carried  the  remains  from  the  house,  the  sick  mother 
raised  herself  in  bed,  following  with  her  eyes  the  lonely 
party,  to  a  rise  of  ground  where  they  had  dug  a  grave. 
She  fell  backward,  and  for  two  weeks  was  scarcely  con- 
vScious  of  what  was  passing,  or  what  had  passed.  Late  in 
Februarv  or  earlv  in  March,  Mr.  Kinijsburv,  who  was  still 
feeble,  made  an  effort  to  obtain  something  which  his 
wife  could  eat,  for  it  was  evident  that  nutriment  was  her 
principal  necessity.  The  severest  rigors  of  winter  began 
to  relax.  Instead  of  fierce  northern  blasts,  sweeping  over 
the  frozen  surface  of  the  lake,  there  were  southern 
breezes,  which  softened  the  snow  and  moderated  the  at- 
mosphere. Scarcely  able  to  walk,  he  loaded  an  old 
'  Queen's  Arm  '  which  his  uncle  had  carried  in  the  War  of 
the  Revolution,  and  which  is  still  in  the  keeping  of  the 
family.  He  succeeded  in  reaching  the  woods,  and  sat 
down  upon  a  log.  A  solitary  pigeon  came,  and  perched 
upon  the  highest  branches  of  a  tree.  It  was  not  only 
high,  but  distant.  The  chances  of  hitting  the  bird  were 
few  indeed,  but  a  human  life  seemed  to  depend  upon 
those  chances.  A  single  shot  found  its  way  to  the  mark, 
and  the  bird  fell.  It  was  well  cooked  and  the  broth  given 
to  the  wife,  who  was  iinmediately  revived."  ^' 

When  the   surveyors  came   to   Cleveland    in    1797,  the 
.Kingsbury  family  came  with  them.      There  was  a  dilapi- 

•*'  "  Whittlesey's  Early  History  of  Cleveland,"  p.  265. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


59 


dated  hcnise  on  the  west  side  of  the  river,  probably 
where  Main  and  Center  streets  now  interseet — a  k)g- 
house*" — whieh.  it  is  usually  stated,  was  left  by  the  early 
traders  with  the  Indians;  and  it  sheltered  them,  while  a 
more  substantial  eabin  was  being  put  up  east  of  the  Pub- 
lic Square,  near  the  present  location  of  Case  block. 


SAU)    TO    HI'.     IIIK    OI.DKST    HOUSE    IX    CLEVELAND. 

Judge  Kingsbury — so  called  because  of  his  later  appoint- 
ment as  a  judge  of  the  Ctnirt  of  Common  Pleas  of  Trum- 
bull County — was  of  no  small  prominence  in  his  day  and 
generation.  In  December,  1797,  he  again  removed,  this 
time  to  a  point  upon  the  bluff  on  the  line  frcnii  Doan's 

■•-Colonel  Whittlesey,  in  that  treasure-house  from  whieh  we  have  so  fre- 
quently drawn  (  "  Early  History  of  Cleveland,"  p.  266),  says:  ■"  The  old  set- 
tlers think  it  was  erected  by  the  French,  but  it  was  more  probably  done  by 
the  English,  who  were  here  soon  after  the  peace  of  1763.  It  was  a  better  build- 
ing than  the  French  were  in  the  habit  of  putting  up  in  such  remote  places. 
It  had  been  a  comfortable  and  capacious  log  storehouse."  New  light  is 
thrown  upon  the  question  by  researches  which  have  been  carried  on  since 
the  days  of  Colonel  Whittlesey.  In  a  recently  printed  monograph  from 
the  pen  of  C.  M.  BurtoiL  Detroit,  iSy5,  entitled  "  A  Chapter  in  the  History 
of  Cleveland,"  the  details  are  given  of  an  attempt  to  secure  by  purchase 
from  the  Indians  of  "  a  large  part  of  the  land  covered  by  the  present  city 
of  Cleveland,"  on  the  part  of  Alexander  Henry,  John  Askin,  and  others. 
As  a  part  of  this  programme,  "John  Askin,  Jr.,  was  sent  to  take  actual 
possession  of  the  tract,  and  he  built  or  occupied  a  hut  on  the  west  side  of 
Cuyahoga  River,  a  little  back  of  where  it  emptied  into  the  lake."     There 


bo  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

corners  to  Newburgli,  where  he  lived  to  the  end  of  his 
life,  which  came  on  December  12th,  1847. 

The  year  1797  saw  a  marked  addition  to  the  street  lines 
of  Cleveland.  "  Central  Highway  "  was  laid  out  as  a 
road  into  the  country,  but  as  it  led  to  the  new  town  of 
Euclid,  it  became  known  as  Euclid  road.  The  "  South 
Highway,"  or  Kinsman  street,  was  also  added,  as  was 
also  "  North  Highway,"  or  St.  Clair  street.  In  the  fall, 
the  surveyors  completed  their  labors,  so  that  the  land 
could  be  intelligently  divided  among  the  stockholders  of 
the  company,  and  returned  home.  In  January,  of  the 
year  following,  the  partition  was  made.  It  was  also  dur- 
ing this  year  that  Cleveland,  with  the  rest  of  the  Re- 
serve, became  a  part  of  Jefferson  County,  but  no  steps  of 
visible  jurisdiction  were  taken  by  the  territorial  authori- 
ties. In  October,  1798,  a  petition,  on  behalf  of  the  Con- 
necticut Land  Company,  w^as  laid  before  the  General  As- 
sembly of  Connecticut,  in  which  were  set  forth  the 
various  failures  of  all  appeals  to  Congress  for  action  in 
regard  to  the  legal  status  of  New  Connecticut,  and  pray- 
ing for  relief. 

Early  in  1798,  Nathaniel  Doan,  who  had  been  induced 
to  come,  perhaps,  by  the  donation  of  a  city  lot  upon 
which  a  blacksmith  shop  was  to  be  maintaiiied,    arrived 

is  a  letter  in  possession  of  the  Western  Reserve  Historical  Society  from 
Alexander  Henry  to  Oliver  PhelpS  and  Henry  Champion,  directors  of  the 
Connecticut  Land  Company,  dated  April  ist,  1797,  giving  notice  to  the 
company  of  the  claim  of  title  by  Askin  and  his  partners,  and  stating  that 
John  x\skin  and  his  family  "  now  reside  on  this  tract  at  the  River  Cuya- 
hoga, in  order  to  secure  possession."  It  will  be  noted,  however,  that  Mr. 
Burton  does  not  claim  that  this  cabin  was  erected  by  Askin,  using  the 
words,  "built  or  occupied."  There  stands  to-day  on  Hanover  and  Ver- 
mont streets  ( West  Side  ),  a  house  that  some  say  is  the  oldest  in  Cleve- 
land. Tradition  states  that  it  was  built  by  agents  of  the  Northwestern 
Fur  Company,  at  the  head  of  the  old  river  bed,  for  a  trading  house,  many 
years  before  the  arrival  of  Moses  Cleaveland ;  that  it  was  moved  from 
place  to  place,  and  finally  found  a  resting-place  in  its  present  location.  It 
was  originally  covered  with  hewn  timbers,  but  as  it  stands  to-day  (  see 
illustration  )  it  has  a  modern  planed  covering.  It  is  further  claimed  that 
between  1783  and  1800  it  was  used  as  a  blockhouse.  It  was  once  owned 
by  Joel  Scranton,  but  was  purchased,  near  1S44,  by  Robert  Sanderson,  who 
moved  it  to  its  present  location. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  6i 

with  his  family,  and  the  fire  of  his  forge  was  soon  seen 
arising  from  a  little  shop  on  Superior  street,  near  the  cor- 
ner of  Bank,  and  the  ring  of  his  anvil  was  heard  as  he 
sharpened  the  tools  and  shod  the  horses  of  the  little  com- 
munitv.*'  Job  P.  Stiles  had  left  his  cabin  down  near  the 
heart  of  affairs,  and  moved  ont  near  the  Kingsbury  home 
on  the  ridge.  Elijah  Gun  went  to  the  same  section, 
while  Rodolphus  Edwards,^"  a  new  arrival,  went  further 
north,  near  that  point  known  later  as  the  intersection  of 
Woodland  avenue  and  Woodland  Hills  avenue.  Joseph 
Landon,  who  had  come  back  from  the  East,  and  Stephen 
Gilbert  cleared  a  piece  of  ground,  which  they  sowed  to 
wheat,  while  a  couple  of  acres  given  to  corn  on  Water 
street  showed  the  agricultural  activity  of  Lorenzo  Carter. 
That  scourge  of  the  new  western  lands,  the  fever  and 
ague,  was  also  present  during  this  year  of  early  settle- 
ment, and  had  not  a  little  to  do  with  the  removals  to  the 
higher  lands  to  the  eastward.  At  one  time  nearly  every 
member  of  the  settlement  became  a  victim  to  its  power, 
and  the  burden  of  providing  food  and  the  necessaries  of 
life  fell  upon  the  few  who  were  equal  to  it.  A  mainstay 
in  many  close  places  was  the  redoubtable  Carter,  whose 
gun  and   dogs   enabled  him   to   obtain   wild  game  when 

*^  Statement  made  by  John  Doan,  "Annals  Early  Settlers'  Association," 
No.  6,  p.  51:  "In  General  Cleaveland's  party  was  my  uncle,  Nathaniel 
Doan,  of  Middle-Haddam,  Middlesex  County,  Conn.  After  spending  two 
years,  1796  and  1797,  in  assisting  to  lay  out  roads  and  define  count}-  and 
township  limits  in  the  howling  wilderness  of  that  day  Nathaniel  Doan  de- 
cided to  bring  his  family  here  and  locate  a  home  in  the  woods.  He  did  so 
in  1798,  building  a  log  cabin  near  the  Cuyahoga  River,  but  the  next  year 
moving  ftirther  east,  on  the  corner  of  Fairmount  street  and  Euclid  avenue, 
still  known  as  Doan's  Corners." 

50  O.  P.  C.  in  "Annals  of  the  Early  Settlers'  Association,"  No.  4,  p. 
47:  "  Rodolphus  Edwards,  for  short  called  '  Dolph,'  can  be  numbered 
among  the  early  pioneers  of  Cuyahoga  Count)-,  having  come  here  away 
back  in  1797.  He  settled  on  a  large  tract  of  land  now  known  as  Woodland 
Hills,  but  formerly  called  Butternut  Ridge.  In  addition  to  farming,  he 
kept  a  public  inn  or  tavern,  for  the  accommodation  of  the  traveling  public. 
Rain  or  snow,  hot  or  cold,  as  regular  as  Saturday  came  around.  Uncle 
Dolph,  with  his  old  Dobbin,  old-time  carry-all,  and  bigbrindle  dog,  seated 
bolt  upright  on  the  seat  by  the  side  of  his  master,  would  make  his  appear- 
ance in  town, ' '  for  the  purchase  of  supplies  for  the  week  following. 


62  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

nothing  else  was  to  be  had ;  and  it  is  hardly  necessary  to 
say  that  to  each  of  his  needing  neighbors  was  sent  a  gen- 
erous portion.  At  one  time,  all  the  nine  members  of 
Nathaniel  Doan's  family  were  sick  at  once,  which  had 
not  a  little  to  do  with  the  removal  to  that  point  which  has 
since  borne  his  name. 

Out  on  the  Ridge,  the  Kingsburys,  Guns  and  vStileses  had 
found  immunity  from  the  scourge,  and  been  able  to  raise 
good  crops  of  corn.  The  famous  "  stump  mcn'tars  "  of 
the  early  day,  which  had  until  now  been  their  only  means 
of  preparing  this  corn  for  use,  have  been  described  as  fol- 
lows: "  An  oak  stump  was  hollowed  out  so  that  it  would 
hold  about  half  a  bushel  of  corn.  Above  it  a  heavy  wood- 
en pestle  was  suspended  to  a  spring-pole,  the  large  end 
of  which  was  fastened  to  a  neighboring  tree.  A  con- 
venient quantity  of  corn  being  poured  into  the  hollow, 
the  pestle  was  seized  with  both  hands  and  brought  down 
upon  it.  Then  the  spring-pole  drew  it  up  a  foot  or  two 
above  the  corn,  when  it  was  again  brought  down,  and 
thus  the  work  continued  until  the  corn  was  reduced  to  a 
quantity  of  very  coarse  meal." 

Judge  Kingsbury  decided  to  secure  a  better  method  of 
preparing  the  chief  staff  of  family  life,  and  accordingly 
brought  from  the  banks  of  the  run,  which  still  bears  his 
name,  two  large  stones,  which  he  rudely  shaped  into  mill- 
stones, one  of  which  he  placed  upon  the  ground  with  the 
other  above  it,  and  by  fastening  a  handle  to  the  upper  one 
so  that  it  might  be  rocked  forward  and  backward,  was 
able  to  produce  an  article  of  meal  far  ahead  of  that  made 
in  the  ruder  appliance. 

There  was  no  physician  in  the  little  settlement,  and  no 
quinine,  a  decoction  of  dogwood  bark  being  used  in  its 
stead,  as  a  specific  for  the  ague.  As  the  cold  weather  ap- 
proached, the  chills  disappeared,  but  there  was  still  a 
lack  of  food.  It  was  near  the  middle  of  November  when 
four  of  the  men,  still  weak  from  the  effects  of  the  ague, 
made  an  attempt  to  bring  a  supply  of  flour  from  Walnut 
Creek,  Pennsylvania.      They  went  by  the  lake,  and  some- 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  63 


where  between  Euclid  Creek  and  Chagrin  River  the  boat 
was  wrecked,  and  their  mission  ended  in  failure. 

In  1799,  Mr.  Hawley  also  left  the  settlement  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Cuyahoga  and  moved  to  the  neighborhood 
to  which  the  others  had  gone.  This  left  the  Carters  in 
virtual  possession,  and  as  they  had  now  become  pretty 
well  acclimated,  they  concluded  to  remain  and  take  their 
chances.  It  was  in  this  year  that  Wheeler  W.  Will- 
iams/^ a  new-comer,  and  Major  Wyatt,  also  a  late  arrival, 
built  at  the  falls  of  ]Mill  Creek,  later  Newburgh,  the  first 
grist-mill  of  the  neighborhood.  This  labor  was  not  com- 
pleted until  fall,  when  the  pair  of  mill-stones  for  grinding 
were  furnished  by  David  Bryant  and  his  son  Oilman,  who 
had  been  getting  out  grindstones  near  Vermillion  River. 

The  younger  Brvant  has  left  us  a  brief  description  '"'" 
of  this  structure,  which  marked  so  important  an  advance 
in  the  material  interests  of  the  neighboring  towns  of 
Cleveland  and  Newburgh:  "In  the  fall  (1799),  father  and 
myself  returned  to  Cleveland,  to  make  a  pair  of  mill- 
stones for  Mr.  Williams,  about  five  miles  east  of  Cleve- 
land, near  the  trail  to  Hudson.  The  water  was  conveyed 
to  the  mill  in  a  dugout  trough,  to  an  undershot  wheel 
about  twelve  feet  over,  with  one  set  of  arms,  and  buckets 
fifteen  inches  long,  to  run  inside  of  the  trough,  which  went 
down  the  bank  at  an  angle  of  forty-five  degrees,  perhaps. 
The  dam  was  about  four  rods  above  the  fall ;  the  mill- 
stones were  three  and  a  half  feet  in  diameter,  of  gray  rock. 

As  this  was  one  of  the  first  mills  on  the  Reserve,  its  com- 
pletion was  naturally  celebrated  in  an  appropriate  manner.  ^'^'^ 

5'  As  we  shall  meet  this  busy  pioneer  in  several  places  hereafter,  it  may  be 
well  to  state  that  in  the  early  records  his  name  appears  in  various  shapes: 
Wheeler  W.  Williams,  Wm.  W.  Williams,  and   William  Wheeler  Williams. 

*' Letter  of  Oilman  Bryant,  under  date  of  Mount  Vernon,  Ohio,  June  ist, 
1857. — "  Whittlesey's  Early  History  of  Cleveland,"  p.  372. 

52a  Orrin  Harmon  says  that  David  Abbott  built  the  first  grist-mill  on  the 
Reserve,  in  the  fall  of  179S,  at  Willoughby.  Leonard  Case  stated  that  a 
mill  at  the  forks  of  Indian  Run,  between  Youngstown  and  Canfield,  was  in 
operation  before  Williams's  mill.  This  one  at  Newburgh  was,  therefore, 
the  third  mill  on  the  Reserve. 


64  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

All  the  neighborhood  roundabout  was  asked  to  be  present 
— some  ten  families  in  number.  Few  details  of  this  event 
have  been  left  us,  but  it  was  no  doubt  conducted  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  known  light-hearted  sociability  of  our 
pioneer  fathers.  The  result  of  this  new  venture  in  the 
mechanical  line  was,  that  "  during  the  following  winter 
our  citizens  enjoyed  the  luxury  of  bolted  flour,  made  in 
their  own  mills,  from  wheat  raised  by  themselves." 

In  the  above  general  outline  of  early  events,  we  have 
carried  the  story  of  Cleveland  to  the  edge  of  1800.  Be- 
fore stepping  across  the  century  line,  and  viewing  the  en- 
larged horizon  of  later  days,  it  will  be  our  task  and  pleas- 
ure to  take  up  a  number  of  detached  events  that  must  be ' 
related  to  make  the  record  complete,  and  can  best  find 
that  relation  just  here. 

A  marked  event  of  the  last  three  years  of  the  departing 
century  was  the  fact  that  warm  weather  came  back  un- 
usually early  in  each  returning  spring,  which  shortened 
mercifully  the  days  of  cold  for  which  the  settlers  were  not 
always  well  prepared.  ' '  Pinks  and  other  flowers  bloomed 
in  February  each  year,  and  peach  trees  were  in  full  blos- 
som in  March." 

In  discussing  the  question  of  travel,  Mr.  Rice  says:^^ 
"  The  only  highways,  which  existed  in  the  country  at  this 
time,  were  narrow  paths,  designated  by  blazed  trees,  and 
a  few  old  Indian  trails.  The  trails  were  well-beaten 
paths,  which  had  existed  from  time  immemorial,  leading 
from  one  distant  point  of  the  country  to  another.  One 
led  from  Buffalo  along  the  lake  shore  to  Detroit.  An- 
other from  the  Ohio  River  b  y  way  of  the  poi-tagc,  as  it 
was  called,  to  the  mouth  of  the  Cuyahoga  River.  They 
concentrated  at  Cleveland,  where  the  river  was  crossed  by 
a  ferry  established  by  the  Indians.  In  this  way  the 
principal  trading  posts  erected  by  the  French  and  English 
were  made  accessible,  and  furnished  the  early  pioneers 
with  the  facilities  of  securing  an  important  commercial 
intercourse  with  those  distant  points  of  trade.  The  goods 
^3  Rice's  "Pioneers  of  the  Western  Reserve,"  p.  66. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  65 

and  provisions  needed  were  transported  on  pack-horses/* 
While  Cleveland  was  the  central  point  on  the  lake  shore, 
Newburgh  took  the  lead  in  respect  to  population.  Hence 
Cleveland  acquired  the  reputation  of  being  a  '  vSmall  vil- 
lage six  miles  from  Newburgh.'  "^^ 

The  hardy  and  able  men  who  conducted  the  surveys 
already  described,  or  assisted  in  the  same,  deserve  more 
than  the  passing  mention  which  has  been  given  hereto- 
fore in  connection  with  a  description  of  their  work.  Of 
some  of  these  we  know  little,  beyond  the  fact  that  they 
were  sent  out  in  the  employ  of  the  Connecticut  Land 
Company  and  presumably  performed  their  duties  to  the 
satisfaction  of  their  employers.  Judge  Amzi  Atwater, 
in  his  sketches  of  his  associates,  says  of  John  Milton 
Holley,  to  whose  journal  we  have  been  several  times  in- 
debted: "  He  was  then  a  very  young  man,  only  about 
eighteen  years  of  age,  though  he  appeared  to  be  older; 
tall,  stout,  and  handsomely  built,  with  a  fair  and  smiling 
face,  and  general  good  appearance.  He  was  a  beautiful 
penman."  He  did  not  return  with  the  surveyors  of  1797, 
but  settled  in  Salisbury,  Conn.,  where  he  spent  the  re- 
mainder of  his  days,  leaving  a  large  and  respected  family, 
a  member  of  which  afterwards  became  the  governor  of 
that  State. 

=■•  On  February  23rd,  1797,  the  Connecticut  Land  Company  aiDpointed  a 
committee,  of  which  Seth  Pease  and  Moses  Warren  were  members,  to 
"  enquire  into  the  expediency  of  laying  and  cutting  out  roads  on  the  Re- 
serve." Their  report,  under  date  of  January  30th,  1798,  was  to  the  effect 
that  it  was  ' '  expedient  to  lay  oi:t  and  cut  out,  a  road  from  Pennsylvania 
to  the  city  of  Cleveland.  .  .  .  The  road  was  cutout,  and  the  timber  girdled, 
according  to  the  recommendation  of  the  committee.  .  .  .  That  this  was 
the  first  road  that  was  laid  out  and  cut  out  on  the  Western  Reserve,  there 
is  no  doubt.  This  was  all  done  at  the  expense  of  the  Connecticut  Land 
Company." — Western  Reserve  Historical  Society's  Tract  No.  49,  p.  loi. 

*»  When  did  this  term  originate?  Who  first  used  it?  Perhaps  these 
questions  may  be  answered  by  Joseph  Glidden,  who  says:  "  I  learned 
also,  during  my  first  summer  in  Ohio  (1S34)  the  important  fact  that  Cleve- 
land is  six  miles  from  Newburgh.  I  remember  taking  up  a  little  book  at 
the  house  of  a  friend  in  Akron,  called  a  '  Gazetteer  of  the  State  of  Ohio.'  I 
distinctly  remember  that  under  the  head  of  Cleveland  there  was  this  item : 
'  A  post-town  six  miles  from  Newburgh.'  " — "  Annals  Early  Settlers'  As- 
sociation,"  No.  6,  p.  45. 


66  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


Mr.  Atwater,  himself,  left  an  impress  upon  his  time,  and 
was  an  honored  eitizen  of  this  section  of  Ohio  until  his 
death  in  1851.  He  was  a  native  of  New  Haven,  Connect- 
icut, and  learned  the  art  of  surveying  in  company  with 
Wareham  Shepard,  who  was  one  of  the  first  exploring 
party  on  the  Reserve.  Atwater  joined  the  party  at 
Canandaigua,  his  special  duty  being  to  collect  the  cattle 
and  pack  the  horses.  He  returned  the  next  year  as  one 
of  the  assistant  surveyors.  In  1800,  he  settled  in  Mantua, 
Ohio ;  served  as  an  associate  judge  of  Portage  County, 
and  filled  other  offices  of  public  trust. 

Ezekiel  Morly  was  born  in  Glastonbury,  Conn.,  in 
1758,  and  died  in  Chester,  O.,  in  1852.  He  served  as  a 
soldier  in  the  Revolution;  was  a  member  of  both  the 
first  and  second  surveying  parties ;  emigrated  to  Ohio  in 
1832,  and  "  supposed  himself  to  be  the  first  white  man 
that  saw  Chagrin  falls."  Lot  Sanford  was  not  with  the 
party  of  1796,  but  with  that  of  the  year  following.  He 
assisted  in  digging  the  grave  of  the  drowned  Eldridge, 
"  thus  performing  the  office  of  sexton  to  the  first  white 
man  who  was  buried  in  Cleveland."  He  did  not  remain 
in  Ohio,  but  made  his  permanent  home  in  Vermont, 
where  he  died  in  i860.  Oliver  Culver  came  out  with  the 
party  of  1797;  returned  in  1798,  and  assisted  in  the  work 
of  laying  out  a  road  to  the  Pennsylvania  line;  in  1804,  he 
again  came  to  Cleveland  with  a  boat-load  of  salt,  dry 
goods,  liquors  and  tobacco,  and  opened  a  store.  The 
next  year  he  married,  and  settled  on  a  farm  in  Monroe 
County,  N.  Y. 

vSeth  Pease,  who,  perhaps,  was  the  most  prominent  of 
the  surveyors,  is  described  by  Mr.  Atwater  as  "  above 
medium  height,  slender  and  fair,  with  black,  penetrating 
eyes;  in  his  movements  very  active,  and  persevering  in 
his  designs,  with  a  reflecting  and  thoughtful  air.  He 
was  a  very  thorough  mathematician."  His  journals, 
in  excellent  penmanship,  show  business  habits.  He  was 
in  the  service  of  Massachusetts  as  a  surveyor;  was  en- 
gaged in  the  laying  out  of  the  "  Holland  Purchase  "  in 


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THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  67 

Western   New  York ;  and  tinder  Jefferson  became  Assist- 
ant Postmaster  General  of  the  United  States. 

Augustus  Porter  spent  some  ten  years  in  the  woods,  in 
one  place  and  another,  as  surveyor  and  explorer,  and  then 
settled  on  the  Niagara  River,  where  he  .spent  the  re- 
mainder of  his  life.  He  lived  to  an  advanced  age.  He  was 
of  medium  height,  full  face,  and  dark  complexion. 

Sickness  and  death  were  the  part  of  several  who  en- 
gaged for  labor  in  the  wilderness.  Judge  Atwater,^*^  in 
relating  the  experiences  of  1797,  says:  "  I  was  taken  sick 
with  the  ague  and  fever.  vSickness  prevailed  the  latter 
part  of  the  season  to  an  alarming  degree,  and  but  a  few  es- 
caped entirely.  William  Andrews,  one  of  our  men,  and 
Peleg  Washburn,  an  apprentice  to  Mr.  Nathaniel  Doan, 
died  of  dysentery  at  Cleveland,  in  August  or  September. 
All  those  that  died  that  season  were  of  my  party  who 
came  on  Avith  me,  with  the  cattle  and  horses,  in  the 
spring,  and  were  much  endeared  to  me,  except  Tinker, 
our  principal  boatman,  who  was  drowned  on  his  return  in 
the  fall.  At  Cleveland,  I  was  confined  for  several  weeks, 
with  several  others  much  in  the  same  situation  as  my- 
self, with  little  or  no  help,  except  what  we  could  do  for 
ourselves.  The  inhabitants  there  were  not  much  better 
off  than  we  were,  and  all  our  men  were  required  in  the 
woods.  My  fits  came  on  generally  every  night,  and  long 
nights  they  appeared  to  me  ;  in  day-time  I  made  out  to  get 
to  the  spring,  and  get  some  water,  but  it  was  a  hard  task 
to  get  back  again.  ...  I  procured  a  portion  of  Peruvian 
bark  and  took  it,  it  broke  up  my  fits  and  gave  me  an  ex- 
tra appetite,  but  very  fortunately  for  me  we  were  short 
of  provisions,  and  on  short  allowance.  My  strength 
gained,  and  I  did  not  spoil  my  appetite  by  over-eating." 

It  was  during  this  summer  of  1797  that  Mr.  Atwater 
passed  through  a  trying  experience  which  may  be  briefly 
related.  He  was  in  the  woods  with  Minor  Bicknell,  when 
the  latter  was  taken  with  so  violent  a  fever  that  he  was 
unable  to  ride  a  horse.     They  were  at  a  great  distance 

"•^  "  Whittlesey's  Early  History  of  Cleveland,"  p.  300. 


68  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


from  help  or  medical  attention,  and  it  seemed  imperative 
to  get  him  to  Cleveland  as  soon  as  possible.  Two  poles 
were  tied  together  with  bark,  and  a  couple  of  horses 
placed  between  them,  as  in  the  shafts  of  a  wagon.  There 
was  room  for  a  man  to  lie  in  a  bed  of  blankets  and  bark, 
slnng  to  the  poles,  with  one  horse  going  before  him,  and 
the  other  coming  behind.  In  this  rude  conveyance  the 
unfortunate  Bicknell  was  carried  for  five  days,  over  a  dis- 
tance of  fifty  miles,  being  in  a  high  fever  and  delirious 
for  a  portion  of  the  time.  His  sufferings  ended  in  death, 
and  he  was  buried  on  the  south  line  of  the  township  of 
Independence.  Well  may  Judge  Atwater  add:  "This 
was  the  most  affecting  scene  of  my  life.  My  feelings  I 
cannot  attempt  to  describe.  My  fatigue  was  great  during 
the  whole  distance.  My  anxiety  stimulated  every  power 
I  pos.sessed  of  body  or  mind." 

The  journal  of  Surveyor  Pease  during  August,  Septem- 
ber and  November  is  an  almost  continuous  record  of  sick- 
ness, and  for  the  greater  part  of  the  time  headquarters  at 
Cleveland  took  on  the  character  of  a  general  hospital. 
Such  entries  as  these  are  of  almost  daily  occurrence : 
"  Solomon  Shepard  came  in  sick."  "  Reynolds  taken 
sick."  "  Jotham  Atwater  came  in  sick  with  the  fever 
and  ague."  "'  Green  set  out  to  take  his  place,  but  re- 
turned at  night  sick."  "  This  morning  had  chills,  head- 
ache, backache  and  fever."  "  Twelve  persons  sick." 
"  Andrews  died  about  eight  o'clock  last  night."  "  Mr. 
Pease  had  a  hard  fit  of  fever  and  ague. "  "  Tupper  is  not 
well,  but  able  to  cook." 

Malaria  was  not  the  only  enemy  to  be  avoided  in  these 
laborious  excursions  into  the  woods.  Another  dano^er  is 
suggested:  "  In  its  forest  condition  this  region  was  very 
prolific  in  snakes.  The  notes  of  the  survey  contain  fre- 
quent mention  of  them,  particularly  the  great  yellow  rat- 
tlesnake. In  times  of  drought  they  seek  streams  and  moist 
places,  and  were  frequently  seen  with  their  brilliant  black 
and  orange  spots  crossing  the  lake  beach  to  find  water. 
Joshua  Stow,  the  commissary  of  the  survey,  had  a  positive 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  6g- 

liking  for  snake  meat.  Holly  could  endure  it  when  pro- 
visions were  short.  General  Cleaveland  was  disgusted  with 
snakes,  living  or  cooked,  and  with  those  who  cooked  them. 
They  were  more  numerous  because  the  Indians  had  an 
affection  or  a  superstitious  reverence  for  them,  and  did  not 
kill  them." •■^' 

A  view  of  Clev^eland  as  it  appeared  to  the  eyes  of  a 
stranger  in  1797  is  found  in  the  statement  of  Oilman 
Bryant,  already  quoted.  "  My  father,  David  Bryant,  and 
myself,"  said  he,  "  landed  at  Cleveland  in  June,  1797. 
There  was  but  one  family  there  at  that  time,  viz. :  Lorenzo 
Carter,  who  lived  in  a  log  cabin,  under  the  high  sand  bank 
near  the  Cuyahoga  River,  and  about  thirty  rods  below  the 
bend  of  the  river,  at  the  west  end  of  vSuperior  street.  I 
went  up  the  hill  to  view  the  town.  I  found  one  log  cabin 
erected  by  the  surveyors,  on  the  south  side  of  vSuperior 
street,  near  the  place  where  the  old  Mansion  House  for- 
merly stood.  There  was  no  cleared  land,  only  where  the 
logs  were  cut  to  erect  the  cabin,  and  for  fire-wood.  I 
saw  the  stakes  at  the  corners  of  the  lots,  among  the  logs 
and  large  oak  and  chestnut  trees.  We  were  on  our  way 
to  a  grindstone  quarry,  near  Vermillion  River.  We  made 
two  trips  that  summer,  and  stopped  at  Mr.  Carter's  each 
time.  In  the  fall  of  1797,  I  found  Mr.  Rodolphus  Ed- 
wards in  a  cabin  under  the  hill,  at  the  west  end  of  Su- 
perior street.  We  made  two  trips  in  the  summer  of  1798. 
I  found  Major  Spafford  in  the  old  surveyor's  cabin.  The 
same  fall  Mr.  David  Clark  erected  a  cabin  on  the  other 
side  of  the  street,  and  about  five  rods  northwest  of  Spaf- 
ford's." 

Any  excursion  into  the  history  of  these  early  days  of 
Cleveland  is  certain  to  bring  one  into  direct  contact, 
sooner  or  later,  with  Lorenzo  Carter,  who  played  no  minor 
part  in  the  fortunes  of  the  settlement,  and  who  possessed 
a  personal  character  well  fitted  for  service  in  the  rude  sur- 
roundings of  his  day.  His  arrival  in  Cleveland  has 
already  been  noted.      He  was  born  in  Warren,  Litchfield 

■"■"  "  Annals  of  the  Early  Settlers'  Association,"  No.  4,  p.  75. 


JO 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


County,  Conn.,  in  1766,^'*  and  although  his  education 
was  meagre,  his  natural  qualities  made  him  a  man  of 
mark  wherever  his  lot  was  cast.  His  half-brother,  J.  A. 
Ackley,  says  of  his  early  life :  ' '  He  was  left  to  the  care 
of  a  widowed  mother,  in  moderate  circumstances,  with  a 
family  of  six  children,  all  young.  Lorenzo  was  a  strong, 
athletic,  self-willed  boy,  and  it  could  not  be  expected 
that  a  mother  would  guide  and  direct  him  like  a  father. 
But  our  mother  was  a  thorough-going  woman,  and  man- 
aged to  get  along  reasonably  well,  until  the  close  of  the 
war    (Revolution),    when   she    married    again,    and    soon 

after  moved  to  Castleton,  Rut- 
land County,  Vt.,  then  al- 
most a  wilderness.  Lorenzo 
was  about  eighteen  years  of 
age,  a  very  natural  age  to  be- 
come fond  of  a  dog  or  efun, 
hunting  and  fishing.  The 
country  being  new,  and  game 
plenty,  he  soon  became  quite 
a  Nimrod.  Arrived  at  man- 
hood, he  bought  a  lot  of  new 
land,  took  to  himself  a  better 
half,  and  settled  on  his  land. 
But  farming,  or  at  least  clearing  a  new  farm,  was  not  ex- 
actly to  his  mind.  He  soon  became  restless,  and  wished 
for  a  change.  About  this  time  the  Ohio  fever  began  to 
rage,  and  Carter,  in  company  with  a  man  by  the  name  of 
Higby,  started  for  the  western  wilds.  Their  course  was 
through  Western  Pennsylvania,  to  Pittsburg,  down  the 
Ohio  River  as  far  as  the  Muskingum  River.  They  then 
turned  north,  and  struck  the  lake  at  Cleveland,  from 
thence  by  the  nearest  route  home." 

This  excursion  determined  his  future.      He  bade  adieu 
to  New  England,  in  the  fall  of  1796,  and  in  ccmipany  with 

'-*  This  date  and  place  are  given  by  J.  A.  Ackley,  Carter's  half-brother, 
in  a  statement  made  at  Parma,  in  1858.  Mr.  Rice,  in  his  "  Sketches  of 
Western  Life,"  p.  29,  says,  he  was  born  in  Rutland,  Vermont,  in  1767. 


■*&fr 


~5j 

LORENZO  CARTER. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  71 

his  brother-in-law,  Ezekiel  Hawley,  set  out  to  find  a  home 
in  the  West.  When  the  two  families  reached  Lake  Erie, 
they  passed  across  to  Canada,  where  they  remained  for 
the  winter.  In  the  spring  of  1797  they  moved  onward  to 
Cleveland,  which  they  reached  in  May,  and  where  they 
had  decided  to  make  their  permanent  home. 

The  active  Lorenzo  soon  made  himself  a  conspicuous 
figure  in  the  pioneer  community.  While  Hawley  decided 
to  make  his  home  back  upon  the  elevated  land,  Carter 
preferred  to  remain  in  the  very  center  of  events — and 
there  he  hung  on,  faithful  to  his  first  choice,  while  malaria 
and  ague  drove  his  neighbors  out  to  the  more  healtht\il 
ridge.  He  erected,  down  near  the  river,  a  log  cabin,  which 
was  more  pretentious  than  the  rude  affairs  constructed  by 
the  surveyors,  having  two  apartments  on  the  ground  floor, 
and  a  spacious  garret. ^^      He  next  built  a  boat,  and  estab- 

^^  N.  B.  Dare,  of  Cleveland,  has  recently  found  among  some  old  papers 
in  his  possession  a  land  contract  between  Lorenzo  Carter  and  the  Rev. 
Seth  Hart,  ]Moses  Cleaveland's  successor  as  agent,  or  stiperintendent,  of 
the  Connecticut  Land  Company.  The  lot  contracted  for  was  described  as 
follows: — "  Lot  No.  199,  containing  one  acre  and  forty-four  rods  of  land,  as 
per  the  surveyor's  full  notes,  abutting  east  on  Water  street,  west  on  the 
Cuyahoga  River,  and  intersected  by  Mandrake  lane. ' '  The  conditions  of 
sale  were  as  follows : — ' '  Said  Carter  having  already  built  a  tenable  log  house 
on  said  lot- and  cleared  and  improved  part  thereof,  is  to  clear  the  remaining 
part  of  said  lot  in  the  course  of  the  next  spring  and  summer,  and  sow  the 
same  to  wheat  or  cultivate  it  to  some  other  purpose,  and  have  a  family 
residing  in  said  house ;  and  he,  the  said  Carter,  is  to  pay  at  the  rate  of  $25 
per  acre,  making  for  said  lot  the  full  sum  of  $47.50,  which  said  Carter  is 
to  pay  by  the  ist  of  September,  1798,  unto  Oliver  Phelps,  Henry  Cham- 
pion, Moses  Cleaveland,  Samuel  Mather,  Esq. ,  the  board  of  directors  for 
said  company,  or  their  successors  in  office,  or  to  their  agent  in  the  said  city 
of  Cleveland,  .with  one  year's  interest  on  the  same  at  the  rate  of  6  per  cent, 
per  annum.  Now,  if  the  said  Carter  shall  fulfil  and  perform  the  foregoing 
conditions,  etc.,  then  the  said  Hart,  on  behalf  of  himself,  empowered  as 
aforesaid,  and  in  behalf  of  said  board  of  directors,  promises  and  engages 
to  procure  a  good  and  authentic  deed. 

(Signed)         "  LORENZO  CARTER. 
"  SETH  HART. 
(Witnesses. ) 

"  Theodore  Shepherd, 

' '  Amzi  Atwater. ' ' 

The  contract  was  endorsed  "  S.   Hart's  contract  with   Lorenzo  Carter, 
1797." 


j2  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


lished  a  ferry  at  the  foot  of  Superior  street.  He  kept  a 
small  stock  of  goods  for  trade  with  the  Indians.  In  i8oi 
he  was  granted  a  license  to  keep  a  tav-ern  at  Cleveland,  by 
the  territorial  court  sitting  in  Warren.  "  It  was  Carter's 
•enterprise,"  says  Mr.  Rice,  "  that  built  the  first  frame 
house  in  Cleveland.  He  also  built  the  first  warehouse. 
During  the  early  part  of  his  career  at  Cleveland  his  spa- 
cious log  cabin  on  the  hillside  was  regarded  as  headquar- 
ters. It  served  as  a  hotel  for  strangers,  and  as  a  variety 
shop  of  hunting  supplies.  It  was  also  a  place  of  popular 
resort,  where  the  denizens  of  the  town  and  surrounding 
country  held  their  social  festivities."  It  was  in  Carter's 
cabin  that  occurred  the  first  wedding  ceremony  solem- 
nized in  Cleveland,  when,  on  July  4th,  1797,  Miss  Chloe 
Inches,  Avho  was  in  Carter's  employ,  was  married  to  a 
Canadian,  who  answered  to  the  name  of  Clement.  The 
ceremony  was  performed  by  the  Rev.  Seth  Hart,  General 
Cleaveland's  successor  as  superintendent  of  the  Connecti- 
cut Land  Company. 

In  1804,  Carter  was  elected  to  the  office  of  Major  in  the 
State  militia.  He  built  the  first  vessel  constructed  in 
Cleveland,  the  "  Zephyr,"  of  thirty  tons  burden,  for  the 
lake  trade.  He  accumulated  a  fine  property,  and  in  later 
years  purchased  and  improved  a  farm  on  the  west  bank  of 
the  Cuyahoga,  nearly  opposite  the  lower  end  of  Superior 
street.  He  died  in  February,  18 14,  and  was  buried  in 
the  Erie  street  cemetery,  near  the  western  entrance. 
"  Two  marble  headstones  mark  the  spot,  and  also  bear 
upon  their  face  a  brief  record  that  is  worthy  of  a  reverent 
remembrance." 

Carter  is  described  as  having  had  the  muscular  power 
of  a  giant,  standing  six  feet  in  his  boots,  of  swarthy  com- 
plexion, with  hair  long  and  black,  which  he  allowed  to 
fall  nearly  to  his  shoulders.  He  was  brave  to  the  edge  of 
daring,  but  amiable  in  temper  and  spirit;  and  while  he 
never  picked  a  quarrel,  he  saw  the  end  of  any  upon  which 
he  entered.  He  was  always  to  be  found  upon  the  side  of 
the  oppressed.     "  Major   Carter  was  far  from  a  quarrel- 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  73 


some  man,"  wrote  Ashbel  W.  Walworth,  in  1842.™  ''  I 
never  heard  of  his  fighting  unless  he  was  grossly  in- 
sulted, and  as  he  would  say,  '  driven  to  it."  It  was  a 
common  saying  in  this  region,  that  ]\Iajor  Carter  was  all 
the  law  Cleveland  had,  and  I  think  he  often  gave  out  well 
measured  justice.  It  was  not  unfrequent  that  strangers 
traveling  through  the  place,  who  had  heard  of  the  Major's 
success  in  Avhipping  his  man,  who  believed  themselves 
smart  fighters,  thought  they  may  gain  laurels  by  having 
it  said  that  they  whipped  him.  I  never  heard  it  asserted 
by  any  one,  and  never  heard  of  any  one  boasting,  that 
such  an  act  had  been  performed.  He  was  kind  and  generous 
to  the  poor  and  unfortunate,  hospitable  to  the  stranger, 
would  put  himself  to  great  inconvenience  to  oblige  a  neigh- 
bor, and  was  alwavs  at  the  service  of  an  individual  or  the 
public  when  a  wrong  had  been  perpetrated.  In  all  the 
domestic  relations  he  Avas  kind  and  affectionate." 

There  are  a  great  many  stories  found  in  the  various  rec- 
ords of  early  Cleveland  of  Major  Carter's  dealings  with  both 
Whites  and  Indians,  illustrative  of  his  courage  and  off-hand 
methods  of  disposing  of  practical  questions  as  they  present- 
ed themselves.  Of  these  anecdotes,  half-brother  Ackley 
tersely  says:  "  Some  are  true,  and  many  are  not  true." 
In  touching  upon  these,  one  cannot  undertake  to  say  with 
certaintv  in  which  class  thev  fall,  although  most  of  them 
are  in  accord  with  the  knoM-n  character  of  the  man. 

It  is  said,  that  on  one  occasion  he  returned  from  the 
hunt,  and  found  that  a  party  of  thirsty  Indians  had  broken 
into  his  store-house,  removed  the  head  from  a  whisky 
barrel,  and  were  freely  helping  themselves  to  its  contents. 
He  found  them  engaged  in  an  endeavor  to  einpty  the  bar- 
rel, "  marched  in  among  them,  drove  them  out,  kicked  and 
cuffed  them  about  in  every  direction,  and  rolled  several 
of  them,  who  were  too  drunk  to  keep  their  legs,  into  the 
marshy  brink  of  the  river.  The  Indians  did  not  relish 
this  kind  of  treatment,  and,  meditating  revenge,  held  a 
council  the  next  dav,  and  decided  to  exterminate  Carter. 


6U 


"  Whittlesey's  Early  History  of  Cleveland,"  p.  346. 


74  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


They  selected  two  of  their  best  marksmen,  and  directed 
them  to  follow  his  footprints  the  next  time  he  entered 
the  woodlands  to  hunt,  and  shoot  him  at  the  first  favor- 
able opportunity.  This  the  delegated  assassins  attempted 
to  do,  and,  thinking  to  make  sure  work  of  it,  both  fired  at 
him  at  the  same  time,  but  failed  to  hit  him.  In  an  in- 
stant Carter  turned  on  his  heel  and  shot  one  of  them,  who 
fell  dead  in  his  tracks ;  the  other  uttered  a  terrific  war 
whoop,  and  fled  out  of  sight.  This  dire  result  overawed 
the  Indians.  From  that  time  no  further  attempts  were 
made  to  take  Carter's  life.  His  rifle  was  the  law  of  the 
land.  The  Indians  became  subservient  to  his  will,  and 
were  confirmed  in  the  belief  that  he  was  the  favorite  of 
the  Great  Spirit,  and  could  not  be  killed.  It  was  in  this 
way  that  Carter  obtained  an  unbounded  influence  over 
the  Indians.  He  ahvays  treated  them,  when  they  behaved 
as  they  should,  with  kindness  and  generosity,  and  when 
they  quarrelled  among  themselves,  as  they  often  did,  he 
intervened  and  settled  their  difficulties."'^^ 

An  incident,  that  finds  a  more  certain  foundation  in 
fact,  shows  Carter's  influence  with  his  dusky  neighbors, 
and  is  connected  with  the  first  murder  that  occurred  after 
the  settlement  of  Cleveland.  It  is  not  certain  whether 
it  occurred  in  1802  or  1803.  A  medicine  man,  of 
either  the  Chippewa  or  Ottawa  tribe,  by  name  Nobsy, 
Menobs)\  or  more  commonly  '  called  Mcnompsy,  had 
rendered  official  aid  to  the  wife  of  Big  Son,  a  near 
relative  to  the  famous  Seneca,  of  the  tribe  of  vSenecas. 
She  had  died  despite  his  ministrations,  and  under  the  in- 
fluence of  the  fire-water  obtained  from  the  distillerv 
which  David  Brvant  had  established  under  the  hill ,  Bie 
Son  set  forth  the  claim  that  his  wife  had  been  killed,  and 
therefore,  under  the  Indian  law,  he  demanded  the  life  of 
the  medicine  man.  The  latter  claimed  that  he  bore  a 
charmed  life  and  could  not  be  hurt,  which  Big  Son  proved 

«'  Rice's  "  Sketches  of  Western  Life,"  p.  34.  This  story  is  referred  to 
by  the  writer  as  traditional.  No  reference  is  made  to  it  by  Mr.  Ackley 
or  Mr.  Walworth,  already  quoted,  nor  in  a  statement  made  by  Carter's 
son,  Alonzo. 


^ 


SPAFFORD'S  MAP 


CLEVELAND 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  75 


to  be  untrue,   by  stabbing  his  enemy  as  the  two  walked 
side  by  side  along  Union  Lane. 

His  friends  took  up  the  body  of  the  murdered  man,  and 
carried  it  to  their  camp  on  the  west  side  of  the  river. 
They  were  furious  for  revenge,  and  only  the  prompt  action 
of  Major  Carter  and  other  white  men  prevented  a  bloody 
encounter.  The  Chippewa  warriors  were  seen  in  the 
morning  with  their  faces  painted  black,  which  meant  war. 
The  demand  was  made  that  Big  Son  should  be  surren- 
dered. Carter  opened  negotiations,  and  for  a  gallon  or  so 
of  whisky,  backed  by  his  eloquence,  persuaded  them  to 
abate  the  demand,  go  home,  and  drown  their  vengeance 
in  that  for  which  it  had  been  surrendered. 

It  is  pleasant  to  turn  from  this  scene  of  blood  to  an 
incident  that  occurred  on  the  last  Christmas  of  the  cen- 
tury, when  Lorenzo  Carter,  the  hunter,  saved  the  lives  of 
several  lost  little  ones.  Three  children  of  Judge  Kingsbury, 
and  two  of  the  Hawleys,  the  eldest  but  eight  years  of  age, 
lost  their  way  in  the  dusk  of  the  evening  when  homeward 
bound  from  a  visit  to  Job  Stiles.  They  wandered  about, 
in  the  cold  and  dark,  in  danger  from  wild  beasts.  The 
eldest  carried  the  youngest;  at  last  they  all  gave  up, 
and  sat  down  upon  the  frozen  ground  to  await  whatever 
fate  the  winter  night  might  have  in  store  for  them. 

It  happened  that  toward  evening.  Carter,  the  uncle  of  the 
Hawley  children,  called  at  the  house  of  their  parents,  on  his. 
way  from  the  hunt.  An  alarm  had  already  been  given,  and 
the  few  men  of  the  neighborhood  had  started  out  in  search. 
The  Major  of  course  joined  them.  He  took  his  hound  to- 
where  the  children  had  been  last  seen.  The  trail  was  found, 
although  the  little  ones  had  crossed  their  own  tracks  again 
and  again.  After  a  long  run  through  bush  and  brier,  the 
faithful  animal  dashed  down  into  a  hollow,  and  among  the 
frightened  children,  who  thought  that  at  last  the  wolves 
were  upon  them.  We  can  rest  assured  that,  among  all  his 
triumphs  in  forest  and  field,  Lorenzo  Carter  counted  the 
privilege  of  returning  those  children  to  the  arms  of  their 
parents  that  Christmas  night,  by  no  ineans  the  least. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  ys 

to  be  untrue,   by  stabbing  his  enemy  as  the  two  walked 
side  by  side  along  Union  Lane. 

His  friends  took  up  the  body  of  the  murdered  man,  and 
carried  it  to  their  camp  on  the  west  side  of  the  river. 
They  were  furious  for  revenge,  and  only  the  prompt  action 
of  Major  Carter  and  other  white  men  prevented  a  bloody 
encounter.  The  Chippewa  warriors  were  seen  in  the 
morning  with  their  faces  painted  black,  which  meant  war. 
The  demand  was  made  that  Big  Son  should  be  surren- 
dered. Carter  opened  negotiations,  and  for  a  gallon  or  so 
of  whisky,  backed  by  his  eloquence,  persuaded  them  to 
abate  the  demand,  go  home,  and  drown  their  vengeance 
in  that  for  which  it  had  been  surrendered. 

It  is  pleasant  to  turn  from  this  scene  of  blood  to  an 
incident  that  occurred  on  the  last  Christmas  of  the  cen- 
tury, when  Lorenzo  Carter,  the  hunter,  saved  the  lives  of 
several  lost  little  ones.  Three  children  of  Judge  Kingsbury, 
and  two  of  the  Hawleys,  the  eldest  but  eight  years  of  age, 
lost  their  way  in  the  dusk  of  the  evening  when  homeward 
bound  from  a  visit  to  Job  Stiles.  They  wandered  about, 
in  the  cold  and  dark,  in  danger  from  wild  beasts.  The 
eldest  carried  the  youngest;  at  last  they  all  gave  up, 
and  sat  down  upon  the  frozen  ground  to  await  whatever 
fate  the  winter  night  might  have  in  store  for  them. 

It  happened  that  toward  evening.  Carter,  the  uncle  of  the 
Hawley  children,  called  at  the  house  of  their  parents,  on  his 
way  from  the  hunt.  An  alarm  had  already  been  given,  and 
the  few  men  of  the  neighborhood  had  started  out  in  search.. 
The  Major  of  course  joined  them.  He  took  his  hound  to- 
where  the  children  had  been  last  seen.  The  trail  was  found, 
although  the  little  ones  had  crossed  their  own  tracks  again 
and  again.  After  a  long  run  through  bush  and  brier,  the 
faithful  animal  dashed  down  into  a  hollow,  and  among  the 
frightened  children,  who  thought  that  at  last  the  wolves 
were  upon  them.  We  can  rest  assured  that,  among  all  his 
triumphs  in  forest  and  field,  Lorenzo  Carter  counted  the 
privilege  of  returning  those  children  to  the  arms  of  their 
parents  that  Christmas  night,  by  no  means  the  least. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

A    CITY    OX    PAPER. 

It  may  be  profitable  to  leave  for  a  moment  the  little 
village  on  the  Cuyahoga,  here  at  the  dawn  of  1800,  to 
touch  upon  the  manner  of  life  of  those  who  came  into  the 
Ohio  wilderness,  the  perils  surrounding  them,  and  the 
resolution  with  which  they  met  want,  sickness,  the  de- 
predations of  wild  beasts,  and  the  lack  of  those  surround- 
ino-s  of  civilization  to  which  thev  were  used  in  the  old  life 
in  the  East.  It  took  courage  of  several' sorts  to  make  the 
westward  venture,''-  and  the  journey  from  the  East  was 
in  itself  no  light  experience. 

Not  only  were  the  railroad  and  canal  unthought  of 
then,  but  the  stage-coach  and  the  road  along  which  it  was 
to  be  drawn  were  still  in  the  future.  The  springless 
wagon  or  the  sled,  loaded  with  household  goods,  farming 
implements,  weapons  of  defense,  and  food,  Avith  wife  and 
children  stowed  in  corners,  were  the  chief  vehicles  of 
transportation,  and  the  road  a  mere  path  through  the 
woods,  or  a  trail,  along  which  room  for  passage  must  be 
cut  throuo-h  the  trees.  ^^lonths  were  often  consumed  in 
this  tiresome  journey,  and  its  discomforts  uncomplainingly 
borne.  Incidents  without  number,  in  illustration  of  the 
above,  are  held  as  household  legends  in  all   parts   of  the 

*-  "  Immigration  to  Ohio,  at  an  early  day,  at  times  met  with  the  greatest 
discouragement.  Caricature  was  employed  to  give  vent  to  the  derision 
which  was  felt.  Judge  Timothy  Walker,  in  an  address  delivered  before 
the  Ohio  Historical  and  Philosophical  Society,  at  Cincinnati,  m  1837,  said 
he  well  remembered  in  his  boyhood  seeing  two  pictures — one  represent- 
ing a  stout,  well-dressed,  ruddy  man  on  a  fat,  sleek  horse,  westward 
bound,  bearing  a  banner  with  the  words :  '  Going  to  Ohio  ' ;  the  other 
showing  a  pale  and  ghostly  skeleton  of  a  man,  in  shabby  apparel,  riding 
the  wreck  of  a  horse,  journeying  eastward,  bearing  the  ensign:  '  Have 
been  to  Ohio.'  "—Magazine  of  Western  History,  Vol.  I.,  p.  343. 


THE^  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  77 

Reserve ;  and  some  of  the  pioneers  who  were  spared  for 
more  prosperous  days,  have  told  us  touching  tales  of  the 
sufferings  they,  as  children,  regarded  as  matters  of 
course — like  the  rains  and  snows  and  chills  of  winter. 

Among  the  first  to  settle  in  these  northeastern  Ohio 
forests  was  Amos  Loveland,  who  had  been  a  soldier  in 
the  Revolution,  and  was  engaged  in  surveying  on  the 
Reserve  as  early  as  1798.  He  selected  a  piece  of  land  in 
what  is  now  a  corner  of  Trumbull  County,  and  decided 
to  locate  upon  it.  He  returned  to  Vermont  in  the  fall  of 
the  year,  and  in  December  started  westward  with  his 
family  of  seven,  and  all  his  worldly  goods  packed  on 
two  sleds,  each  of  which  was  drawn  by  a  team  of  horses. 
They  traveled  days,  and  encamped  at  night  when  better 
accommodations  did  not  offer.  They  crossed  the  Susque- 
hanna River  on  the  ice,  and  when  the  snow  disappeared 
soon  after,  the  sleds  were  traded  for  a  wagon  for  the  rest 
of  the  journey,  which  occupied  altogether  four  months. 
It  was  April  before  he  arrived  at  the  piece  of  woodland 
he  expected  to  transform  into  a  farm.  Jacob  Russell 
came  from  Connecticut  to  Cleveland  with  an  ox-team,  his 
wife  riding  their  only  horse.  Leaving  her  here,  he  re- 
turned for  their  children,  and  one  of  these,  in  recently 
relating  their  adventures,  said:  "  Our  journey  was  at- 
tended with  the  greatest  suffering.  My  youngest  sister 
was  sick  all  the  way,  dying  three  days  after  her  arrival. 
Father  was  then  taken  down  with  ague,  so  our  house 
was  built  slowly.  With  the  greatest  difficulty  mother 
hewed  with  an  adze  the  stub  ends  of  the  floor  boards,  and 
put  them  down  with  the  little  help  father  could  give  her. 
We  moved  in,  toward  the  close  of  November,  our  house 
possessing  neither  door  nor  window.  At  that  time,  two  of 
the  children  were  sick  with  ague.  Father  worked  when 
the  chills  and  fever  left  him  for  the  day,  putting  poles 
together  in  the  form  of  bedsteads  and  a  table." 

The  Morgan  family  came  in  a  covered  wagon,  drawn  by 
a  yoke  of  oxen  and  a  span  of  horses.  A  girl  eight  years 
of  age  rode  one  of  the  horses,  and  guided  the  lead-team 


yS  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

the  greater  part  of  the  way  between  Albany  and  Cleve- 
land. The  road  was  simply  a  trail  through  the  woods, 
the  underbrush  between  the  trees  having  been  cut  away 
sufficiently  to  allow  a  wagon  to  pass.  Three  months 
were  consumed  in  this  journey,  including  a  two  weeks' 
stop  because  of  sickness. 

Other  families  came  in  two-wheeled  carts,  some  in 
small  wagons  to  which  but  one  horse  was  attached,  while 
occasionally  the  horse,  without  the  vehicle,  would  be  the 
style  of  transportation  employed.  Streams  had  to  be 
crossed  by  any  means  that  could  be  improvised,  dangers 
guarded  againsst,  and  much  suffering  endured.  It  was 
not  unusual  for  a  team  to  give  out,  and  a  week  or  even  a 
fortnight  be  allowed  for  recuperation. 

When  the  rough  journey  from  the  east  was  completed, 
the  next  thought  was  for  providing  a  shelter.  The  log- 
house,  for  so  many  years  the  only  structure  seen  or  at- 
tempted in  pioneer  settlements,  has  often  been  described. 

In  one  recorded  instance,  the  family  dwelling  contained 
one  room  eighteen  feet  square,  with  greased  paper  for 
windows,  a  door  of  vSplit  boards  with  strips  across,  and 
wooden  hinges — not  a  nail  in  the  whole  building;  a 
puncheon,  or  split-log  floor  covered  about  one-half  the 
ground  included  in  the  four  walls,  no  upper  floor,  and  no 
chimney,  except  a  stone  wall  built  up  five  feet  to  keep  the 
fire  from  the  logs.  The  protection  against  intrusion  from 
the  outside  world  in  one  cabin  is  thus  graphically  pict- 
ured by  the  pen  of  one  of  its  inmates :  ' '  We  hung  up  a 
quilt,  and  that,  with  a  big  bull-dog,  constituted  the  door." 
When  the  four  Avails  of  the  home  were  up,  the  settler 
proceeded  to  "  chink  "  the  openings  between  the  logs, 
using  pieces  of  wood  on  the  inside,  and  plastering  them 
with  mortar  on  the  outside.  During  the  leisure  of  the  even- 
ings, the  inner  sides  of  the  logs  would  be  hewed  smooth, 
and  the  bark  removed  from  the  joists  above.  Sometimes 
there  was  an  upper  loft,  and  even  stairs  leading  to  it,  but 
usually  a  ladder  was  the  means  of  communication.  In 
rare  cases  a  sleeping-room  would  be  partitioned  off  on  the 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  7g 

ground  floor,  but  generally  the  bed  vStood  at  one  end  of 
the  sole  room,  concealed  behind  chintz  curtains,  which 
would  often  disappear  as  the  question  of  clothing  became 
more  and  more  pressing.  The  bedstead  was  made  of 
smooth,  round  poles,  while  elm  bark  served  as  cords. 
Seats,  tables  and  shelves  M^ere  made  as  time  would  allow, 
and  according  to  the  skill  of  the  occupants ;  occasionally 
some  of  these  articles  had  been  saved  from  the  breaking 
up  of  the  old  home  in  the  east. 

The  domestic  economy  within  this  family  temple  was 
of  the  most  primitive  character.  A  Dutch  oven,  a  couple 
of  kettles  and  a  .spider  were  considered  essentials,  al- 
though inany  an  outfit  fell  far  short  even  of  this  idyl  of 
completeness.  Judge  Robert  F.  Paine,  of  Cleveland, 
once  used  these  words  in  describing  the  home  accommo- 
dations of  his  boyhood  in  Portage  County :  ' '  AVe  possessed 
few  dishes  of  any  kind.  There  was  a  man  in  Trumbull 
County  who  made  them  of  wood,  and  his  advent  into  a 
neighborhood  would  cause  more  excitement  than  the  es- 
tablishment of  another  national  bank  in  Cleveland  to-day. 
We  ate  on  what  we  called  trenchers,  a  wooden  affair  in 
shape  something  like  a  plate.  Our  neighbors  were  in  the 
same  condition  as  we,  using  wooden  plates,  wooden 
bowls,  wooden  everything,  and  it  was  years  before  we 
could  secure  dishes  harder  than  wood,  and  when  we  did 
they  were  made  of  yellow  clay." 

Theodore  Wolcott  and  Gad  Hart  spent  the  winter  of 
1806  in  Farmington  township.  Desiring  straAv  with 
which  to  fill  their  beds,  they  marched  to  Mesopotamia, 
five  miles  away,  and  as  the  woods  were  so  dense  that  their 
bundles  could  not  be  carried  through,  they  were  compelled 
to  travel  out  of  their  way  a  long  distance,  going  along  the 
Warren  path  to  Grand  River,  and  then  coming  back  on  the 
open  highway  afforded  by  the  ice.  The  first  bed  on  which 
Heman  Ely,  the  founder  of  Elyria,  slept,  on  his  arrival  in 
this  section,  was  made  of  the  cloth  covering  of  the  wagon 
in  which  he  came,  and  filled  with  straw  brought,  with  the 
greatest  difficulty,  from  a  barn  located  iniles  away. 


<?o  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


The  question  of  food  was  naturally  one  of  great  mo- 
ment, and  much  could  be  written  of  the  privations  ex- 
perienced in  that  direction.  The  skill,  with  which  the 
pioneer  mother  made  the  means  at  her  command  fill  the 
place  of  those  to  which  she  had  been  accustomed,  was  re- 
markable. "  The  first  mince-pie  I  ever  ate  on  the  Re- 
serve," once  said  Joshua  R.  Giddings,  "  was  composed 
of  pumpkin  instead  of  apple,  vinegar  in  place  of  wine  or 
cider,  and  bear's  meat  instead  of  beef.  The  whole  was 
sweetened  with  Mdld  honey  instead  of  sugar,  and  seasoned 
with  domestic  pepper  pulverized  instead  of  cloves,  cinna- 
mon and  allspice,  and  never  did  I  taste  pastry  with  a  bet- 
ter relish." 

While  such  makeshifts  were  possible  in  some  directions, 
there  was  one  in  which  they  were  not. 

Salt  they  had  to  have,  at  any  price,  or  any  cost  of  dar- 
ing or  toil.  There  was  a  salt  spring  nine  miles  west  of 
Youngstown,  where  people  would  repair  from  all  parts 
of  the  Reserve  and  manufacture  their  own  article,  carry- 
ing a  kettle  with  them,  or  trusting  to  good-fortune  for  the 
obtaining  of  such  an  article  at  the  spring.  The  Old 
Salt  Road,  as  it  is  yet  called,  that  leads  from  the  mouth 
of  Conneaut  Creek  at  Lake  Erie  into  Trumbull  County, 
was  so  named  because  the  demand  for  this  staple  article 
was  one  of  the  causes  of  its  being  laid  out.  The  salt 
from  the  manufactories  of  Onondaga,  N.  Y.,  was  brought 
to  Buffalo  by  the  lake,  and  then  transported  onward  by 
ox-team.  By  the  time  it  reached  Trumbull  County  it  cost 
twenty  dollars  a  barrel.  It  was  also  brought  from  Pitts- 
burg on  pack-horses,  at  great  trouble  and  expense. 

Sugar  was  costly,  and  had  to  be  used  sparingly,  but  the 
maple  variety  could  be  made  easily  and  cheaply,  and  there 
was  little  privation  in  that  line.  Corn-bread  was  the 
staple  article  of  diet,  and  one  pioneer,  who  has  traveled 
in  many  lands,  and  partaken  of  great  varieties  of  fare,  has 
been  heard  to  lament,  "  Would  that  it  still  were."  The 
meal  dough  was  spread  on  a  clean  board,  kept  especially 
for  that  purpose,  and  then  placed  before  a  roaring  fire. 


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THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  Si 

and  one  of  the  younger  members  of  the  family  detailed 
to  watch  it.  When  the  side  next  the  flame  was  well 
baked,  it  would  be  turned  around,  and  careful  tending 
soon  finished  the  process.  AVhen  beautifully  browned 
and  smoking  hot,  it  was  placed  on  the  table,  in  company 
with  a  bowl  of  milk  and  a  wooden  spoon.  In  contemplat- 
ing this  picture,  a  hungry  man  can  somewhat  understand 
the  mournful  outburst  quoted  above. 

The  ofrinding  of  the  grain  was  a  matter  of  no  small 
difficulty  and  labor.  A  hollow  in  an  oak  stump,  and  a 
rude  stone  pestle  dependent  from  a  spring-pole,  was 
the  simplest  machine  employed.  Then  came  the  rude 
hand-mills  that  most  of  the  settlers  used  prior  to  1800, 
which  took  two  hours  of  steady  grinding  to  supply  one 
person  with  food  enough  for  the  day.  In  a  sketch  of  the 
Doan  family,  it  is  recorded  that  for  two  or  three  months 
all  their  food  was  supplied  by  the  young  son,  John,  who 
had  two  attacks  of  fever  and  ague  daily.  He  w^alked 
to  the  house  of  a  neighbor  five  miles  distant,  with  a  peck 
of  corn,  ground  it  in  a  hand-mill,  and  then  carried  it 
home.  He  adjusted  his  labors  and  his  shakings  to  a  sys- 
tem. In  the  morning,  on  the  ending  of  his  first  attack, 
he  would  start  on  his  journey,  grind  his  grist,  wait  until 
his  second  spell  was  over,  and  then  set  out  on  his  return. 
One  of  the  children  of  that  day,  Avhile  recently  relating 
her  experiences,  drew  this  touching  picture:  "  The  only 
flour  we  could  get  had  become  musty,  and  could  not  be 
eaten  unless  one  were  driven  by  extreme  hunger.  I  was 
eight  years  old,  and  not  sick,  and  was  therefore  compelled 
to  satisfy  my  hunger  with  it,  and  give  to  those  of  the 
family  who  were  suffering  a  better  chance  at  the  corn- 
meal  rations.  The  bread  made  from  this  flour  was  hard 
as  well  as  unpalatable.  I  could  only  eat  it  by  crumbling 
it  into  pellets  and  swallowing  them  whole.  I  often  won- 
dered why  father  cried  as  he  sat  down  at  the  table  and 
looked  at  the  food,  as  the  johnny-cake  and  mush  looked 
so  attractive  to  mv  hungrv  eves." 

The  venerable  John  Doan  once  said:     "  In  those  days 


82  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


we  gTOund  corn  in  little  hand-mills.  There  were  two 
stones  about  two  and  a  half  feet  in  diameter,  one  above 
the  other,  the  npper  one  being  turned  with  a  pole.  The 
corn  was  poured  in  through  a  hole  in  the  upper  stone. 
When  a  larger  quantity  of  meal  than  could  be  ground  in 
one  of  these  mills  was  wanted,  I  was  sent  to  Willoughby, 
ten  miles  away,  to  mill.  I  began  when  eight  years  old. 
Three  bushels  of  corn  and  myself  would  be  placed  aboard 
a  horse,  and  I  would  start  early  in  the  morning  and  get 
back  late  at  night."  In  1799,  Joel  Thorp's  family  found 
themselves  out  of  provisions,  and  he  started  to  a  point  in 
Pennsylvania  twenty  miles  distant,  to  replenish  his  stock. 
While  he  was  absent,  his  wife  and  three  small  childreu 
were  reduced  to  a  condition  of  dire  necessity.  They  fed 
on  such  roots  as  they  could  find.  The  eldest  son  remem- 
bered to  have  seen  some  kernels  of  corn  in  a  crack  in  one 
of  the  logs  of  their  cabin,  and  passed  several  hours  in  an 
unsuccessful  search  for  them.  The  mother  emptied  the 
straw  of  her  bed  on  the  ground  and  picked  it  over  to  ob- 
tain what  wheat  she  could,  and  that  little  handful  she 
boiled  and  gave  to  the  children.  She  had  been  taught  tO' 
handle  the  gun,  and  when  she  saw  a  wild  turkey  provi- 
dentially approach  her  cabin  door,  she  took  down  her  hus- 
band's rifle,  and  discovered  there  was  but  one  charge  in 
the  house.  With  her  heart  beating  high  in  the  excitement 
of  hope  and  fear,  she  crept  near  the  fowl  and  luckily 
killed  it,  thus  providing  means  to  keep  her  little  ones 
alive  until  their  father's  return. 

In  1797,  the  first  settlers  of  Canfield,  Mahoning  County, 
brought  all  their  provisions  and  other  necessities  from 
Pittsburg,  being  guided  on  their  way  solely  by  marked 
trees.  When  William  Sager,  a  pioneer  of  Bristol,  Trum- 
bull County,  desired  to  purchase  some  wheat,  which, 
could  not  be  had  at  home,  he  rode  to  Mesopotamia  to  ob- 
tain two  bushels,  and  consumed  a  whole  day  in  doing  so. 
On  the  next  morning  he  started  for  the  nearest  mill,  at 
Warren,  and  spent  the  day  in  getting  there.  His  grist 
was  ground  in  the  evening,  and  the  next  day  occupied  in. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  8j 

the  return  home.  Ichabod  Terrell  tells  of  purchasing- 
salt  in  Cleveland  at  forty  dollars  a  barrel,  and  hauling  it 
to  Elyria  at  the  rate  of  three  miles  per  day,  cutting  a  road 
through  the  woods  a  large  portion  of  the  way.  In  1807, 
one  family  was  compelled  to  subsist  for  three  days  upon 
boiled  beech  leaves,  while  the  father  was  away  after  food. 
"  On  the  fourth  day,"  relates  one  of  the  sons,  "my 
brother,  twelve  years  of  age,  came  hurrying  in  and  cried, 
*  Give  me  the  gun!  I  believe  I  can  shoot  a  deer!'  From 
its  high  place  on  the  wall,  mother  handed  it  to  the  eager 
boy.  She  bade  us  hush  and  listen.  Soon  came  the  re- 
port, and  the  boy's  shout  of  joy  told  us  of  his  success. 
Then  mother  and  children  ran  out  to  see.  There  was 
the  quivering,  prostrate  form  of  the  deer."  At  one  time, 
the  few  families  living  in  Harpersfield  were  so  reduced 
that  but  six  kernels  of  parched  corn  were  allowed  daily 
to  each  person,  and  life  was  only  saved  through  the 
heroic  efforts  of  two  young  men,  who  tramped  through 
deep  snow  and  over  frozen  rivers,  to  Elk  Creek,  Pennsyl- 
vania, where  they  obtained  two  sacks  of  corn,  which  they 
carried  home  on  their  backs,  making  several  like  journeys 
during  the  winter.  The  grain  grown  was  at  the  expense 
of  much  trouble  and  care.  The  spot  of  woods  once  chosen 
for  a  cornfield,  the  large  trees  would  be  girdled  and  left 
standing,  while  the  smaller  ones  were  cut  down  and 
burned.  Holes  were  then  made  in  the  ground  by  means 
of  a  hoe  or  pickaxe,  and  into  each  of  these  a  few  kernels 
of  corn  were  dropped ;  no  cultivating  or  hoeing  followed, 
except  to  cut  down  the  largest  weeds.  Where  buckwheat 
was  sown,  the  boys  of  the  family,  in  many  cases,  were 
compelled  to  watch  it  all  day  long,  to  keep  the  wild  tur- 
keys from  destroying  it. 

The  next  gradation  in  the  scale  of  necessity  was  that  of 
clothing.  The  Eastern  cotton  and  woolen  fabrics  were 
too  expensive,  and  beyond  the  reach  of  the  pioneers,  who 
had  little  money,  and  practically  no  market  for  their  pro- 
duce. Home  ingenuity  was  called  into  play,  and  flax  and 
buckskin  were  the  bases  upon  which  it  built.      Flax  was 


34  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


early  introduced,  and  the  loom  set  tip.  Sometimes  the 
fiber  of  the  nettle  was  gathered,  and  on  being  spun  could 
be  woven  into  garments  that  might  be  worn  with  comfort 
until  after  they  had  been  washed,  when  they  would  rasp 
any  portion  of  the  body  with  which  they  came  in  contact. 
To  remedy  this  annoyance,  the  boys  would  often  roll 
their  clothing  into  a  ball,  when  unseen,  and  laying  it 
upon  a  stump,  pound  it  back  to  the  desired  softness.  "  A 
buckskin  suit  over  a  flax  shirt,  was  considered  full  dress," 
declares  one  of  the  pioneer  authorities.  When  the  coat 
of  hide  became  hard  and  stubborn  from  long  usage,  it 
was  washed,  scraped  and  pounded  to  the  requisite  pliabil- 
ity. A  small  patch  of  land  would  be  planted  with  flax, 
and  at  the  proper  time  the  crop  would  be  pulled,  dried, 
bleached  and  hackled.  It  was  then  beaten  into  shape  for 
the  spinning  wheel.  Raw  cotton  was  imported  and  ex- 
changed for  flax  or  wool.  This  had  to  be  hand-picked 
and  carded,  and  then,  like  the  flax,  given  to  the  women 
of  the  household  for  spinning.  Many  of  the  settlers  had 
a  few  .sheep,  whose  wool  was  treated  in  a  manner  similar 
to  the  cotton.  Summer  clothing  was  made  of  cotton 
mixed  with  flax,  while  in  winter  wool  was  used  in  the 
filling.  Leather  was  expensive  and  difficult  to  obtain ; 
therefore  the  men  went  barefoot  when  they  could,  while 
the  women  carried  their  shoes  to  church,  sitting  down  on 
a  log  near  the  meeting-house  to  slip  them  on. 

With  all  these  hardships,  and  the  lack  of  so  much  that 
in  these  later  days  are  regarded  as  essentials,  there  never 
was  a  people,  even  in  the  most  polished  age  the  world  has 
witnessed,  whose  hearthstone  so  well  illustrated  the  right 
meaning  of  hospitality.  Wherever  the  wanderer  through 
the  forest  found  a  cabin,  there  he  found  a  home.  When 
white  man  met  white  man,  each  hailed  the  other  as 
friend,  and  made  good  his  profession  in  his  deeds.  The 
latch-string  on  the  heavy  wooden  door  was  out  in  literal 
truth,  and  he  who  touched  it  and  came  in  was  welcome  to 
all  the  humble  cabin  could  command.  Settlements  a  score 
of  miles  apart  drew  close  to  each  other  in  a  union  of  fra- 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  Sj 

ternity.  And  the  story  of  mother  or  babe  sacrificed  to 
the  brutal  wrath  of  the  red  foe,  would  cause  a  hundred 
resolute  men  to  spring  forth  with  sturdy  purpose  to  follow 
to  the  death,  and  die  themselves  if  necessary,  in  defence  of 
their  homes  and  loved  ones.  The  forests,  yet  standing, 
could  whisper  the  names  of  brave  men,  in  homespun  and 
buckskin,  who  beneath  their  branches  gave  up  life  as 
grandly  as  did  their  fathers  on  the  fields  of  the  Revolution, 
and  many  dark  legends  are  yet  told  us  by  men  and  women 
who  received  them  from  the  lips  of  those  who  had  part 
therein,  or  on  whom  a  portion  of  their  shadow  fell. 

There  was  a  moral  force  behind  these  New  Enoflanders 
who  came  into  the  wilderness  to  subdue  it,  and  make  it 
the  habitation  of  civilized  man.  ''  The  civilization  of 
the  Western  Reserve,"  says  Harvey  Rice,'''^  ''  though 
comparatively  of  modern  origin,  is  characterized  by 
peculiarities  that  have  been  inherited  from  a  renowned 
ancestry.  It  is  a  civilization  scarcely  less  peculiar  in  its 
elements  than  it  is  progressive  in  its  instincts.  It  aims 
high,  and  has  already  achieved  high  aims.  It  began  its 
career  a  little  less  than  a  century  ago  by  conquering  the 
rude  forces  of  nature,  and  securing  for  itself  a  land  of 
beauty,  of  wealth  and  of  social  refinement.  The  spirit 
of  enterprise  that  transformed  within  so  brief  a  period  an 
unbroken  wilderness  into  a  land  of  refined  civilization, 
must  have  been  not  only  invincible,  but  a  spirit  that  has 
rarely,  if  ever,  been  excelled  in  the  annals  of  human  ad- 
vancement. This  can  only  be  accounted  for  on  the  basis 
of  inherited  traits  of  character.  The  civilized  life  of  the 
Western  Reserve  has  Puritanic  blood  in  its  veins,  or,  in 
other  words,  has  a  New  England  parentage.  One  age 
not  only  modifies  another,  but  differs  from  another  in  its 
thought  and  in  its  aspirations  as  one  star  differs  from  an- 
other in  its  brilliancy  and  in  its  magnitude." 

The  Hon.  Henry  C.  White  touches  even  a  little  more 
closely  upon  this  thought  of  the  Western  Puritan :  ' '  The 

*^  "  Footprints  of  Puritanism,"  by  Harvey  Rice,  Magazine  of  Western 
History,  Vol.  H.,  p.  88. 


.86  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

Connecticut  Western  Reserve  is  the  last  home  of  colo- 
nized Puritanism.  In  individuals  and  families  it  has  been 
carried  into  the  Mississippi  Valley,  and  beyond  it,  up  the 
.slopes  of  the  Rockies,  and  down  the  western  slopes,  but 
in  no  other  locality  of  the  West  does  its  organizing  quality 
appear,  in  no  other  place  has  its  social  flavor  so  perme- 
ated, as  here  upon  this  Western  Reserve.  It  was  actually 
colonized  here.  The  settlement  of  North-Eastern  Ohio 
at  the  beginning  of  this  century  was  unprecedented.  It 
was  not  the  straggling  immigration  of  a  few  families ;  it 
was  the  veritable  exodus  of  a  colony.  The  grand  elements 
of  Puritan  civilization  are  Land,  Law.  Liberty.  These 
fundamental  interests,  as  they  found  lodgment  in  the  set- 
tlement, and  development  in  the  growth  of  the  Western 
Reserve,  are  worthy  of  our  consideration.  •  •  •  The 
little  company  which  landed  at  the  mouth  of  the  Cuya- 
hoga on  the  afternoon  of  July  22nd,  1796,  was  a  band  of 
New  England  surveyors.  They  brought  with  them  from 
the  far-off  Saxon  forests,  through  a  long  line  of  Puritan 
colonists,  the  idea  of  the  '  arable  mark,'  and  the  '  village 
community.'  "*'"' 

Hon.  F.  J.  Dickman*'"' :  "It  is  not  our  office,  in  the 
light  of  historic  truth,  to  exalt  to  the  stature  of  heroes  all 
who  carried  the  compass  or  chain,  or  plied  the  settler's 
axe  in  the  forests  of  New  Connecticut.  But  durinu-  the 
first  sixteen  or  seventeen  years  following  the  22nd  of 
July,  1 796,  when  the  surveying  party  entered  the  mouth 
of  the  Cuyahoga  from  the  lake,  there  came  to  the  West- 
ern Reserve,  and  settled  within  the  present  limits  of  our 
countv,  a  class  of  men  whose  characteristics  we  mav  well 
admire  and  commemorate.  They  did  not  leave  their  homes 
because  they  were  there  the  victims  of  intolerance,  and 
could  not  there  follow  the  dictates  of  a  tender  and  en- 
lightened conscience.     They  came  here  to  improve  their 

""  The  Western  Puritan,"  by  Henry  C.   White,   Magazine  of  Western 
History,  Vol.  H.,  p.  619. 

^=  "  Life   and   Character   of   Deceased   Pioneers,"    by    F.    J.   Dickman, 
•"  Annals  of  the  Early  Settlers'  Association,"  No.  i,  p.  26. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  87 

material  condition  —  to  better  their  worldly  fortunes. 
Like  the  rest  of  us,  they  had  an  eye  to  the  main  chance 
in  life ;  but  thev  richly  earned  and  paid  a  hundred-fold, 
for  all  they  received." 

James  A.  Garfield''":  "  The  pioneers  who  first  broke 
ground  here  accomplished  a  work  unlike  that  which  will 
fall  to  the  lot  of  any  succeeding  generation.  The  hard- 
ships they  endured,  the  obstacles  they  encountered,  the 
life  they  led,  the  peculiar  qualities  they  needed  in  their 
undertakings,  and  the  traits  of  character  developed  by 
their  work,  stand  alone  in  our  history.  •  •  •  The 
materials  for  a  history  of  this  Reserve  are  rich  and  abun- 
dant. Its  pioneers  were  not  ignorant  and  thoughtless  ad- 
venturers, but  men  of  established  character,  whose  opin- 
ions on  civil  and  religious  liberty  had  grown  with  their 
growth,  and  becoiue  the  settled  convictions  of  their  ma- 
turer  years.  •  •  •  These  pioneers  knew  well  that 
the  three  great  forces  which  constitute  the  strength  and 
glory  of  a  free  government,  are  the  Family,  the  »School 
and  the  Church.  These  three  they  planted  here,  and 
they  nourished  and  cherished  them  with  an  energy  and 
devotion  scarcely  equaled  in  any  other  quarter  of  the 
world.  On  this  height  were  planted  in  the  wilderness 
the  symbols  of  this  trinity  of  powers;  and  here  let  us 
hope  may  be  maintained  forever  the  ancient  faith  of  our 
fathers  in  the  sanctity  of  the  Home,  the  intelligence  of 
the  School,  and  the  faithfulness  of  the  Church." 

In  lighter  vein,  but  with  the  same  elements  of  philo- 
sophic truth  as  their  foundation,  are  these  reflections  of 
Hon.  Robert  F.  Paine,"'  with  which  this  series  of  quota- 
tions from  men  competent  to  speak  may  well  be  closed : 
"  I  suppose  that  (rod  had  such  confidence  in  the  self-re- 

""  Address  delivered  by  Hon.  James  A.  Garfield  before  the  Historical 
Society  of  Geauga  County,  at  Burton,  Ohio,  on  Sept.  i6th,  1873,  on  the 
"  Discovery  and  Ownershi])  of  the  Northwestern  Territory,  and  Settlement 
of  the  Western  Reserve."  Western  Reserve  Historical  Society,  Tract 
No.    20,  p.  II. 

^■'Annual  Address,  by  Hon.  R.  F.  Paine,  "Annals  of  the  Early 
Settlers' Association,"  No.  4,  p.  18. 


88  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

liant  power  of  our  Western  Reserve  emigrants  that  he  saw- 
no  necessity  of  giving  them  title  to  their  land,  or  furnish- 
ing them  quail  or  manna  to  eat  while  they  were  prepar- 
ing it  for  crops.  But  the  emigrants  were  adequate  to  the 
occasion.  They  generally,  by  the  exchange  of  their  prop- 
erty in  New  England,  secured  evidence  of  title  to  a  small 
portion  of  the  wilderness  on  the  Reserve ;  by  marshaling 
the  balance  of  their  assets  they  generally  possessed  them- 
selves of  a  span  of  horses,  or  yoke  of  oxen  and  wagon, 
loaded  in  the  wife  and  children,  and  such  household  goods 
as  room  could  be  found  for  in  the  wagon,  and  thus 
equipped  the  devoted  husband  and  wife  bade  farewell  to 
all  the  associations,  and  scenes  of  childhood  and  youth. 
They  had  but  little  more  idea  of  what  awaited  them  than 
Paul  had  when  he  went  bound  to  Jerusalem.  Sometimes 
a  New  England  young  man  had  concluded  the  delightful 
business  of  courting  a  wife,  and  found  himself  without 
well-settled  plans  for  the  future,  and  but  little  to  support 
a  wife  and  rear  a  family ;  consultation  with  her  he  loved 
would  result  in  an  agreement  to  postpone  the  marriage, 
and  that  the  lover  should  go  to  New  Connecticut,  and  if 
he  thought  best,  secure  a  piece  of  land,  and  if  possible 
clear  off  a  patch  and  sow  it  to  wheat,  and  returning,  make 
title  to  his  wife,  and  with  her  visit  his  little  farm  on  the 
Reserve,  and  enter  upon  the  real  substantial  business  of 
life.  The  early  settlers,  men  and  women,  were  honest, 
industrious  and  generous  to  a  fault.  The  men  felled 
and  cleared  off  the  towering  and  thickly-studded  forest. 
The  women  came  up  fully  to  Solomon's  description  of  a 
good  wife,  '  She  layeth  her  hands  to  the  spindle,  and  her 
hands  hold  the  distaff, '  and  none  went  hungry  from  her 
door,  if  there  was  anything  within  to  eat." 

With  thus  an  adequate  understanding  of  the  methods 
of  life  in  pioneer  days,  and  of  the  character  of  those  who 
laid  the  foundations  of  Ohio,  we  can  once  more  take  up 
the  thread  of  direct  narration,  with  the  beginning  of  the 
new  century. 

There   were,    in   the  opening   of    1800,    perhaps,   some 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  8g 

twenty  people  residing  in  that  portion  of  the  Reserve, 
marked  out  as  the  city  of  Cleveland,  including  the  families 
of  Carter  and  Spafford,  while  some  sixty  or  seventy  made 
up  the  population  of  the  immediate  neighborhood.  x\ffairs 
were  not  progressing,  in  a  material  sense  with  that  success- 
ful push  which  the  managers  of  the  Connecticut  Land 
Company  had  probably  looked  for.  A  visit  was  made  in 
midsummer  by  Turhand  Kirtland,"**  who  vSeems  to  have 
come  Avith  authority,  and  who  expresses  his  views  upon  the 
situation  in  a  letter  to  the  east.  He  addresses  General 
Cleaveland  at  Canterbury,  Connecticut,  from  ''  Cleave- 
land,    Ohio,"   under  date  of  July  17th,  1800,  and  says: 

"  On  my  arrival  at  this  place,  I  found  Major  Spafford, 
Mr.  Lorenzo  Carter,  and  Mr.  David  Clark,  who  are  the 
only  inhabitants  residing  in  the  city,  have  been  anxiously 
waiting  with  expectations  of  purchasing  a  number  of 
lots,  but  when  I  produced  my  instructions,  they  were 
greatly  disappointed,  both  as  to  price  and  terms.  They 
assured  me,  that  they  had  encouragement  last  year,  from 
Col.  Thomas  Sheldon,  that  they  would  have  lands  at  ten 
dollars  per  acre,  and  from  Major  Austin  at  twelve  dollars 
at  most;  which  they  think  would  be  a  generous  price,  for 
such  a  quantity  as  they  wish  to  purchase.  You  will 
please  excuse  me  from  giving  my  opinion,  but  it  really 
seems  to  me  a  good  policy  to  sell  the  city  lots  at  a  less 
price  than  twenty-five  dollars  (two  acres),  or  I  shall  never 
expect  to  see  it  settled. 

"  Mr.  Carter  w^as  an  early  adventurer,  has  been  of  essen- 
tial advantage  to  the  inhabitants  here,  in  helping  them  to 
provisions  in  times  of  danger  and  scarcity,  has  never  ex- 
perienced any  gratuity  from  the  company,  but  complains 
of  being  hardly  dealt  by,  in  sundry  instances.  He  has 
money  to  pay  for  about  thirty  acres,  which  he  expected 
to  have  taken,  if  the  price  had  met  his  expectation ;  but 

^s  Statement  made  b}- Dr.  J.  P.  Kirtland,  Aug.  2gth,  1874:  "Turhand 
Kirtland,  my  father,  annually  visited  New  Connecticut  in  the  years  179S, 
lygg,  and  iSoo.  He,  at  that  time,  was  agent  of  the  Connecticut  Land  Com- 
pany."— "  Historical  Collections  of  the  Mahoning  Valley  ,"  published  by 
the  Mahoning  Valley  Historical  Society,  Youngstown,  Ohio,  1S76,  p.  10. 


()o  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

he  now  declares  that  he  will  leave  the  purchase,  and  never 
own  an  acre  in  New  Connecticut.  Major  Spafford  has 
stated  his  wishes  to  the  company,  in  his  letter  of  January 
last,  and  I  am  not  authorized  to  add  anything.  He  savs 
he  has  no  idea  of  giving  the  present  price,  for  sixteen  or 
eighteen  lots.  He  contemplated  building  a  house,  and 
making  large  improvements  this  season,  w^hich  he  thinks 
would  indemnify  the  company  fully,  in  case  he  should 
fail  to  fulfill  his  contract;  and  he  is  determined  to  remove 
to  some  other  part  of  the  purchase  immediately,  unless 
he  can  obtain  better  terms  than  I  am  authorized  to  give. 
Mr.  Clark  is  to  be  included  in  the  same  contract,  with 
Major  Spafford,  but  his  circumstances  will  not  admit  of 
his  making  any  advances.  I  have  requested  the  settlers 
not  to  leave  the  place,  until  I  can  obtain  further  informa- 
tion from  the  board,  and  request  you  to  consult  General 
Champion,''''  to  whom  I  have  written,  and  favor  me  with 
despatches  by  first  mail.  •  •  •  Mr.  Edwards  has 
gone  to  see  the  governor.  Crops  extraordinary  good,  and 
settlers  healthy  and  in  good  spirits.  They  are  increasing 
as  fast  as  can  be  expected,  but  the  universal  scarcit}'  of 
cash,  in  this  back  part  of  the  country,  renders  it  ex- 
treinely  difficult  to  sell  for  money,  and  the  vast  quantity 
of  land  in  market  will  prevent  a  speedy  sale  of  our  lands. 
The  people  have  been  encouraged  that  the  Company 
would  have  a  store  erected,  and  receive  provisions  in  pav- 
ment  for  lands,  for  money  is  not  to  be  had.  Mr.  Tillit- 
son,  from  Lyme,  wants  two  one-hundred  acre  lots,  and 
would  pay  for  one  in  hand  if  horses,  cattle  or  provisions 
would  answer,  or  would  take  them  on  credit,  if  he  could 
have  sufficient  time  to  turn  his  property,  but  has  no  cash 
to  advance. 

"  I  have  given  a  sketch  of  these  circumstances,  in  order 
that  you  may  understand  my  embarrassments,  and  expect 
you  will  give  me  particular  directions  how^  to  proceed, 
and  also,  whether  I   shall  make  new  contracts  with   the 

•^^  The  name  of  Henry  Champion  is  found  in  the  list  of  directors  of  the 
Connecticut  Land  Company. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  gi 

settlers,  whose  old  ones  are  forfeited.  They  seem  un- 
willing to  relv  on  the  generosity  of  the  Company,  and 
want  new  writings.  •  •  •  I  have  the  pleasure  of  your 
brother's  company,  at  this  time.  He  held  his  first  talk 
with  the  Smooth  Nation,  at  ^Ir.  Carter's  this  morning. 
Appearances  are  very  promising.  I  flatter  myself  he  will 
do  no  discredit  to  his  elder  brother,  in  his  negotiations 
with  the  aborigines."''" 

Glancinof  ahead  of  the  date  under  consideration,  we  find 
that  the  sale  of  the  six  reserved  townships,  and  also  that 
of  the  citv  lots  of  Cleveland,  fell  short  of  the  company's 
expectations.  Citv  lots  which  had  been  held  for  fifty  dol- 
lars with  down  payment  were  now  offered  for  twenty-five 
dollars,  with  time  given.  The  treasury  was  replenished 
by  assessments  upon  the  stockholders,  instead  of  from 
proceeds  of  sales.  "  By  individual  exertion,"  says  Col. 
Whittlesey,  "  the  private  owners  under  the  previous 
drafts,  had  disposed  of  limited  amounts  of  lands,  on 
terms  which  did  not  create  very  brilliant  expectations  of 
the  speculation.  In  truth,  the  most  fortunate  of  the  ad- 
venturers realized  a  very  meagre  profit,  and  more  of  them 
were  losers  than  gainers.  Those  who  were  able  to  make 
their  payments  and  keep  the  property  for  their  children, 
made  a  fair  and  safe  investment.  It  was  not  until  the 
next  generation  came  to  maturity,  that  lands  on  the  Re- 
serve began  to  command  good  prices.  Taxes,  trouble  and 
interest,  had  been  long  accumulating.  Such  of  the  pro- 
prietors as  became  settlers  secured  an  excellent  home  at 
a  cheap  rate,  and  left  as  a  legacy  to  their  heirs  a  cheerful 
future." 

It  was  thought  best  that  all  the  property  should  be  in 
private  hands,  and  on  the  8th  of  December,  1802,  another 
draft  was  made  of  the  six  townships  which  had  been  di- 
vided into  ninety  parcels,  which  included  all  of  the  lands 
east  of  the  Cuyahoga,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  Cleve- 
land city  lots.  The  following  is  a  list  of  the  original  own- 
ers of  lots  in  Cleveland  bv  draft,  or  first  purchase :  Samuel 

■"o  WhiUlesey's  "  Early  History  of  Cleveland,"  p.  376. 


92  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

Huntington,  Caleb  Atwater,  Lorenzo  Carter,  Ephraim 
Root,  Elijah  Boardman  and  others;  Ezekiel  Hawley, 
David  Clark,  Joseph  Rowland,  Charles  Button,  James 
Kingsbury,  vSamuel  W.  Phelps,  Joseph  Perkins  and 
others;  Austin  &  Huntington,  AVyles  and  others;  Judson 
Canfield  and  others;  Samuel  P.  Lord,  Jr.,  William  Shaw, 
Samuel  Parkman,  John  Bolls  and  others;  Asher  ]\Iiller, 
Ephraim  Stow  and  others ;  Martin  Sheldon  and  others ; 
Amos  Spafford,  Oliver  Phelps,  Richard  W.  Hart  and 
others. 

The  few  settlers,  who  had  made  their  home  in  Cleve- 
land previous  to  1800,  had  troubled  themselves  but  little 
with  questions  of  legal  jurisdiction  or  the  form  of  local 
government  nominally  extending  over  them.  They  were 
far  more  interested  in  building  their  cabins  and  clearing 
their  lands  for  corn  or  wheat.  The  proceedings  of  the 
first  judicial  body  of  the  Northwest  Territory,  at  ^Marietta, 
on  the  Ohio,  in  the  fall  of  i;88,'^  therefore  attracted  little 
attention  in  this  corner  of  that  great  expanse  of  wilder- 
ness. A  more  direct  personal  interest  was  of  course  felt 
in  the  first  Court  of  Quarter  Sessions  of  Trumbull 
County,  to  which  Cleveland  belonged,  and  which  was 
held  at  Warren,  on  August  25th,  1800.  The  court  was 
organized  in  this  manner:  Under  the  territorial  law  the 
governor  was  authorized  to  designate  officers  for  any  new 

'1  The  first  Court  of  General  Quarter  Sessions  held  in  the  "Territory- 
Northwest  of  the  River  Ohio, ' '  was  opened  at  Marietta,  in  ' '  Campus 
Martius,"  September  9,  17SS.  The  commissions  appointing  the  judges 
were  read.  Judges  Putnam  and  Tupper,  of  the  Common  Pleas  Court, 
were  on  the  bench,  and  with  Esquires  Isaac  Pearce,  Thomas  Lord,  and 
Return  Jonathan  ]\Ieigs,  Jr.  (three  county  justices  of  the  peace  or  territo- 
rial magistrates),  constituted  the  quorum  of  our  first  Court  of  Quarter 
Sessions,  held  a  hundred  years  ago  in  the  Northwest  Territory.  The  first 
act  of  the  court  was  to  proceed  to  empanel  a  grand  jury,  which  was  ac- 
cordingly done,  the  following  named  gentlemen  constitutmg  that  body, 
namely:  William  Stacey  (foreman),  Nathaniel  Cushing,  Nathan  Good- 
ale,  Charles  Knowles,  Anselm  Tupper,  Jonathan  Stone,  Oliver  Rice, 
Ezra  Lunt,  John  ]\Iatthews,  George  IngersoU,  Jonathan  Devol,  Jethro 
Putnam,  Samuel  Stebbins  and  Jabez  True.  And  this  was  the  first 
grand  jury  to  exercise  its  important  functions  in  the  "  Territory  North- 
west of  the  River  Ohio. ' ' 


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THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAXD. 


93 


county  which  he  might  choose  to  erect.  The  justices  of 
the  peace  constituted  the  general  court  of  the  county,  five 
of  their  number  being  designated  justices  of  the  quorum, 
and  the  others  associates.  They  met  quarterly;  were 
known  as  the  Court  of  the  Quarter  Sessions,  and  in  their 
hands  was  lodged  the  entire  civil  jurisdiction  of  the 
county — local,  legislative  and  judicial. 

The  first  session  for  Trumbull  County  opened  on  War- 
ren Common,  at  four  in  the  afternoon,  under  a  bower  of 
trees,  between  two  large  corn-cribs.  It  continued  five 
days,  and  the  labors  it  accomplished  can  be  best  shown  in 
the  following  synopsis  of  the  record, "^  preserved  in  the 
handwriting  of  Judge  Pease : 

"  Court  of  General  Quarter-Sessions  of  the  Peace,  be- 
gun and  holden  at  Warren,  within  and  for  said  county  of 
Trumbull,  on  the  fourth  Monday  of  August,  in  the  year 
of  our  Lord  eighteen  hundred,  and  of  the  independence 
of  the  United  States,  the  twenty-fifth.  Present,  John 
Young,  Turhand  Kirtland,  Camden  Cleaveland,  James 
Kingsbury,  and  Eliphalet  Austin,  Esquires,  ju.stices  of 
the  quorum,  and  others,  their  associates,  justices  of  the 
peace,  holding  said  court.  The  following  persons  were 
returned,  and  appeared  on  the  grand  jury,  and  were  em- 
paneled and  sworn,  namely:  vSimon  Perkins  (foreman), 
Benjamin  vStowe,  Samuel  Menough,  Hawley  Tanner, 
Charles  Daly,  Ebenezer  King,  William  Cecil,  John  Hart 
Adgate,  Henry  Lane,  Jonathan  Church,  Jeremiah  Wil- 
cox, John  Partridge  Bissell,  Isaac  Paliner,  George  Phelps, 
Samuel  Quimby,  and  Moses  Park.  The  court  appointed 
George  Tod,  Esq.,  to  prosecute  the  pleas  of  the  United 
States  for  the  present  session,  who  took  the  oath  of 
office.  The  court  ordered  that  the  private  seal  of  the 
clerk  shall  be  considered  the  seal  of  the  county,  and  be 
affixed  and  recognized  as  such  till  a  public  seal  shall  be 
procured.  The  court  appointed  Amos  vSpafford,  Esq., 
David  Hudson,  Esq.,   Simon  Perkins,    Esq.,  John  Minor, 

'''^  "  History  of  TrvimbuU  and  Mahoning  Counties,"  Cleveland,  1S82,  Vol. 
I.,  p.  66. 


g4  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

Esq.,  Aaron  Wheeler,  Esq.,  Edward  Paine,  Esq.,  and 
Benjamin  Davidson,  Esq.,  a  committee  to  divide  the  county 
of  Trumbull  into  townships,  to  describe  the  limits,  and 
boundaries  of  each  township,  and  to  make  report  to  the 
court  thereof." 

Acting  in  accordance  with  these  instructions,  the  com- 
mittee divided  the  county  into  eight  townships, '^'^  of 
which  Cleveland  was  one,  and  the  report  was  accepted 
and  confirmed.  Constables  for  the  various  townships  were 
also  appointed,  Lorenzo  Carter  and  Stephen  Gilbert  being 
designated  to  serve  for  Cleveland ;  and  after  a  variety  of 
orders  had  been  given  upon  minor  matters  by  the  court, 
it  adjourned — ^and  local  civil  government  in  north-eastern 
Ohio  was  started. 

It  will  be  noted  that  Gilbert  and  Carter  were  not  the 
only  representatives  of  the  village  by  the  Cuyahoga,  in 
these  important  judicial  proceedings  between  two  corn- 
cribs  on  Warren  Common.  Amos  Spafford  was  a  jus- 
tice, but  not  of  the  quorum.  Our  pioneer  friend,  James 
Kingsbury,  occupied  a  seat  of  honor  on  the  bench,  due 
to  an  appointment  at  the  hands  of  the  territorial  governor. 
At  a  subsequent  period  he  held  other  offices  of  trust,  being 
a  justice  of  the  peace,  and  collector  of  taxes,  under  the  dis- 
trict system ;  and,  being  elected  a  member  of  the  Legisla- 
ture after  Ohio  had  become  a  State,  so  well  served  his  con- 
stituents that  he  was  chosen  for  a  second  term.  He  died 
at  his  residence  in    Newburg,  on   December  12th,  1847."^ 

"  These  eight  townships  were:  Cleveland,  Warren,  Yonngstown,  Hudson, 
Vernon,  Richfield,  Middlefield,  and  Painesville.  There  were  embraced  with- 
in Cleveland  township,  Chester,  Russell  and  Bainbridge,  later  of  Geauga 
County ;  all  of  the  present  county  of  Cuyahoga  east  of  the  river,  and  all  of 
the  Indian  country  from  the  Cuyahoga  to  the  west  line  of  the  Reserve. 

'-•The  "Cleveland  Plain  Dealer,"  December  15th,  1S47,  says:  "  Of  the 
Judge  it  may  be  said  with  propriety,  that  he  was  the  patriarch  of  the 
land  —  among  the  last  of  the  brave  pioneers  on  the  lake  shore.  He  pos- 
sessed a  noble  heart  —  a  heart  that  overflowed  with  kindness  like  the  gush 
of  a  fountain.  His  generosities  were  never  stinted  in  a  good  cause,  nor  his 
charities  bestowed  ostentatiously  to  be  blazoned  abroad  among  men.  He 
regarded  all  mankind  as  his  brethren  and  kinsmen,  belonging  to  the  same 
common  household." 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  gs 

From  the  above  action  upon  the  part  of  the  territorial 
authorities  it  will  be  understood,  of  course,  that  Connect- 
icut and  the  United  States  had  come  to  an  understanding 
as  to  their  rights  of  jurisdiction  over  the  Reserve,  and 
that  the  proposed  state  of  New  Connecticut  was  already 
counted  among  the  things  gone  by.  The  National  Gov- 
ernment had  simply  withdrawn  its  claim  to  the  soil,  leav- 
ing the  sales  from  Connecticut  to  the  Connecticut  Land 
Company  and  others  good  in  law,  while  the  New  England 
State  had  in  turn  given  up  its  claim  to  political  sove- 
reignty. It  was  by  right  of  this  agreement,  therefore, 
that  Governor  St.  Clair  had  ordered  the  creation  and 
organization  of  Trumbull  County,  as  above  recorded.  On 
September  22nd,  of  the  same  year,  he  issued  a  proclama- 
tion for  elections  under  the  territorial  system,  command- 
ing the  sheriff:  "  That  on  the  second  Tuesdav  of  Octo- 
ber,  he  cause  an  election  to  be  held  for  the  purpose  of 
electing  one  person  to  represent  the  county  in  the  Terri- 
torial Legislature." 

This  election  was,  of  course,  held  in  the  county  seat, 
at  Warren,  and  was  conducted  after  the  English  method: 
The  sheriff  of  the  countv  assembling  the  electors  bv 
proclamation,  presiding,  and  receiving  the  votes  of  the 
electors  by  word  of  mouth.  On  this  occasion  there  were 
but  forty-two  votes  cast,  and  as  General  Edward  Paine 
received  thirty-eight  of  these,  he  was  declared  elected, 
and  took  his  seat  in  1801. 

It  Avas  in  the  fall  of  1800  that  David  Bryant  came  to 
Cleveland,  with  the  purpose  of  making  it  his  permanent 
home.  In  thcxse  days,  prior  to  the  passage  of  internal 
revenue  laws,  and  the  spread  of  a  general  temperance 
sentiment,  a  still  was  thought  by  many  to  be  almost  as 
necessary  as  a  grist-mill  or  loom,  and  when  the  new 
arrival  came,  accompanied  bv  a  still  which  had  seen  serv- 
ice in  Virginia,  he  was  accorded  a  double  welcome.  He 
built  a  still-house  "  under  the  sand-bank,"  as  his  son 
Gilman  tells  us  in  the  statement  already  quoted,  "about 
twentv  rods  above  L.  Carter's,  ani  fifteen  feet  from  the 


g6  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

river.  The  house  was  inade  of  hewed  logs,  twenty  by 
twenty-six,  one  and  a  half  stories  high.  We  took  the 
water  in  a  trough,  out  of  some  small  springs,  which  came 
out  of  the  bank,  into  the  second  story  of  the  hcnise,  and 
made  the  whisky  out  of  wheat." 

Mr.  Bryant  not  only  in  this  way  opened  a  market  for 
the  disposal  of  superfluous  grain,  but  became  a  producer 
as  well.  "  My  father  purchased  ten  acres  of  land,"  con- 
tinues the  son,  "  about  one-fourth  of  a  mile  from  the 
town  plat,  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  east  of  the  town.  In 
the  Avinter  of  1800  and  the  spring  of  1801,  I  helped  my 
father  to  clear  five  acres  on  said  lot,  which  was  planted 
with  corn  in  the  spring.  Said  ten  acres  were  sold  bv  my 
father  in  the  spring  of  1802,  at  the  rate  of  two  dollars  and 
fifty  cents  per  acre." 

In  closing  this  chapter,  and  the  year  1800  together,  it 
seems  well  worth  the  space  occupied  to  enumerate  the 
settlers  who  had  become  permanently  or  for  a  time  a  part 
of  Cleveland  up  to  that  time  : 

1796.  Job  P.  Stiles  and  wife;   Edward  Paine. 

1797.  Lorenzo  Carter  and  wife,  and  their  children, 
Alonzo,  Henry,  Laura,  Mercy  and  Betsy ;  Miss  Chloe 
Inches;  James  Kingsbury  and  wife,  and  their  children, 
Amos  vS..  Almon  and  Abigail;  Ezekiel  Hawly  and  wife, 
and  one  child;  Elijah  Gun  and  wife,  and  one  child;  Pierre 
Meloche;  Peleg  Washburne. 

1798.  Nathaniel  Doan  and  wife.  Job,  and  three  daugh- 
ters, afterward  Mrs.  R.  H.  Blin,  Mrs.  Eddy,  and  Mrs. 
Baldwin ;  Samuel  Dodge,  Rodolphus  Edwards,  Nathan 
Chapman,  Stephen  Gilbert,  Joseph  Landon. 

1799.  Richard  H.  Blin,  William  Wheeler  Williams, 
Mr.  Gallup,  Major  W^yatt. 

1800.  Amos  Spafford,  wife  and  family;  Alexander 
Campbell;  David  Clark  and  wife,  and  their  children, 
Mason,  Martin,  James,  Margaret  and  Lucy;  David  Bry- 
ant, Gilman  Bryant;  Samuel  Jones. 


CHAPTER    V. 


LAW,    GOSPEL,   AND    EDUCATION. 


The  law  and  the  gospel  in  their  visible  forms  reached 
Cleveland  at  about  the  same  time,  in  the  persons  of  Sam- 
uel Huntington,  and  the  Rev.  Joseph  Badger.  The  first 
named  was  the  earliest  lawyer  to  settle  in  this  city;  the 
latter  was  the  first  missionary  of  importance  to  follow  a 
line  of  labor  upon  the  Reserve.  We  have  noted  the  pres- 
ence of  the  Rev.  Seth  Hart,  who  came  as  superintendent 
of  the  surveying  party  of  1797, 
but  beyond  his  ministrations  at 
the  funeral  of  the  drowned 
David  Eldridge,  and  at  Cleve- 
land's first  wedding,  there  is 
little  to  show  that  he  exercised 
his  clerical  offices  while  here. 

Samuel  Huntington  was  a 
protege  and  adopted  heir  of  his 
uncle  and  namesake,  Governor 
Huntington,  of  Connecticut. 
He  w^as  a  man  of  education, 
had  traveled  in  Europe,  was 
married  and  near  thirty-five 
years  of  age.  He  made  a  tour 
of  portions  of  the  Ohio  Country  before  becoming  a  resident, 
and  was  doubtless  so  pleased  with  the  promise  of  the 
future  that  he  determined  to  return.  Leaving  his  home 
in  Norwich,  Connecticut,  he  reached  Youngstown  in 
July,  1800,  and  made  a  tour  of  the  chief  settlements  of 
the  Reserve  on  horseback.  He  kept  a  daily  record  of 
his  movements,  and  the  following  brief  extract  therefrom 
will  show  how  Cleveland  appeared  to  his  eyes  in  the 
early  days  of   October:  "  Left  David  Abbott's  mill  (Wil- 


GOVERNOR    SAMUEL    HUNTINGTON. 


gS  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


loughby)  and  came  to  Cleveland.  Stayed  at  Carter's  at 
night.  Explored  the  city  and  town ;  land  high  and  flat, 
covered  with  white  oak.  On  the  west  side  of  the  river  is 
a  long,  deep  stagnant  pond  of  water,  which  produces  fever 
and  ague,  among  those  who  settle  near  the  river.  There 
are  only  three  families  near  the  point,  and  they  have 
the  fever. 

"  vSailed  out  of  the  Cuyahoga,  along  the  coast,  to  ex- 
plore the  land  west  of  the  river.  Channel  at  the  mouth 
about  five  feet  deep.  On  the  west  side  is  a  prairie,  where 
one  hundred  tons  of  hay  might  be  cut  each  year.  A  lit- 
tle way  back  is  a  ridge,  from  which  the  land  descends  to 
the  lake,  affording  a  prospect  indescribably  beautiful.  In 
the  afternoon  went  to  Williams's  grist  and  saw-mill  (New- 
burg),  which  are  nearly  completed." 

Mr.  Huntington  went  south  as  far  as  Marietta,  on  the 
Ohio,  where  he  made  the  acquaintance  of  Governor  St. 
Clair  and  other  gentlemen  connected  with  the  territorial 
government.  He  returned  to  Connecticut  in  the  fall,  and 
in  accordance  with  a  resolution  already  formed,  removed 
with  his  family  to  Youngstown,  early  in  the  summer  of 
1 80 1.  He  soon  after  concluded  to  make  Cleveland  his 
home,  and  arranged  with  Amos  Spafford  for  the  construc- 
tion of  a  house  of  some  pretensions,  near  the  bluff  south 
of  Superior  street,  in  rear  of  the  site  of  the  American 
House.  He  was  accompanied  by  his  wife,  and  Miss  Mar- 
garet Cobb,  a  companion  and  governess;  and  two  sons, 
Julius  C.  and  Colbert.  It  is  needless  to  say  that  their 
arrival  was  welcomed  as  a  notable  addition  to  the  little 
community. 

Although  Mr.  Huntington  was  the  only  lawyer  in  the 
vicinity,  it  is  not  supposed  that  he  garnered  an  extensive 
amount  of  practice,  with  the  county  court  no  nearer  than 
Warren,  and  very  few  litigants;  with  not  many  questions 
to  quarrel  over.  He  was  able  to  make  himself  useful  in 
various  ways,  and  we  find  him  occasionally  mentioned  in 
the  early  records  of  the  township.  Thus,  in  1802,  he  was 
elected  one  of  the  supervisors  of  highways — certainly  not 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  gg 

an  exalted  position,  but  one  with  many  opportunities  for 
usefulness  in  a  new  country;  in  1807,  he  was  a  member  of 
the  board  of  commissioners  in  charge  of  that  famous  lot- 
tery (that  never  came  off)  for  the  improvement  of  the 
Cuyahoga  and  Muskingum  rivers ;  while  we  learn  that  in 
1805  he  "abandoned  his  hewed  log  house,  the  most  aristo- 
cratic residence  in  Cleveland  city,  and  removed  to  the 
mill  he  had  purchased  at  the  falls  of  Mill  Creek  " — -driven 
away,  probably,  by  the  same  malarial  causes  that  had 
sent  so  many  earlier  settlers  out  to  the  hills. 

A  wider  field  of  usefulness  was  opened  before  him. 
Soon  after  his  settlement  in  Cleveland,  the  governor  ap- 
pointed him  lieutenant  colonel  of  the  Trumbull  County 
militia,  and  in  1802  one  of  the  justices  of  the  quorum,  and 
priority  was  conceded  to  him  on  the  bench  of  Quarter 
Sessions.  He  was  also,  in  the  same  year,  elected  to  the 
convention  to  form  a  State  Constitution ;  was  chosen 
Senator  from  the  county  of  Trumbull,  and  on  the  meet- 
ing of  the  Legislature  at  Chillicothe  was  made  president 
of  that  body.  In  1803,  he  was  appointed  a  judge  of  the 
Supreme  Court  of  Ohio,  his  commission,  it  is  said,  being 
the  first  issued  under  the  authority  of  the  State  of  Ohio. 
In  1807,  he  was  elected  governor  of  the  State,  succeeding 
Governor  Tiffin,  who  became  a  vSenator  of  the  United 
States.  On  the  conclusion  of  his  term,  Governor  Hunt- 
ington retired  to  his  farm  near  Painesville,  where  he  re- 
mained until  his  death,  in  18 17. 

It  was  a  characteristic  feature  of  this  transplanted  New 
England  life  and  thought  that  in  the  pursuit  of  material 
things  the  church  and  school-house  were  not  forgotten. 
As  a  general  thing,  as  soon  as  the  things  absolutely  essen- 
tial to  physical  life  were  provided,  steps  were  taken  for 
the  support  of  the  gospel  and  the  instruction  of  the 
young.  The  missionary  was  followed  by  the  itinerant 
minister,  and  he  in  turn  by  the  settled  pastor,  as  soon  as 
the  strength  of  the  community  would  permit.  The  sti- 
pend of  the  latter  was  of  an  uncertain  quantity  and  a  very 
indefinite  quality,   as  it  came  of  the  commodities  of  the 


lOO 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


day  and  region,  \vith  a  very  small  percentage  of  cash.  In 
one  ancient  subscription  list,  where  the  people  of  five 
townships  banded  together  for  the  support  of  a  minister, 
we  find  the  following  pledge : 

"  AVe  do  by  these  presents  bind  ourselves,  our  heirs, 
executors,  and  administrators  firmly,  to  pay  the  sums  an- 
nexed to  each  of  our  names,  without  fraud  or  delay,  for 
the  term  of  three  years,  to  the  Rev.  Giles  Cowles,  the 
pay  to  be  made  in  wheat,  rye,  corn,  oats,  potatoes,  mess- 
pork,  whisky,  etc.,  the  produce  of  farms,  as  shall  be  needed 
by  the  said  Mr.  Cowles  and  family,  together  with  chop- 
ping, logging,  fencing,  etc.  AVe  agree,  likewise,  should 
any  contribute  anything  within  said  term  of  three  years 
toward  the  support  of  the  said  Air.  Cowles,  it  shall  be  de- 
ducted according  to  the  sum  annexed  to  each  man's 
name.  AA"e  likewise  agree  that  the  preaching  in  each 
town  shall  be  in  proportion  to  what  each  town  subscribes 
for  said  preaching. 

One  of  the  first  sermons  heard  on  the  Reserve,  after  its 

settlement,  if  not  the  first, 
was  delivered  by  the  Rev. 
AVilliam  AVick,  of  AVash- 
ington  County,  Pennsyl- 
vania, who  held  services 
at  Youngstown,  on  vSep- 
tember  ist,  1799.  The 
Rev.  Joseph  Badger  was, 
however,  the  most  promi- 
nent of  the  Protestant  inis- 
sionaries  sent  into  this 
wilderness,  and  his  serv- 
ices were  such  as  to  entitle 
him  to  more  than  a  passing 
mention.  He  was  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  where  he 
was  born  in  1757;  enlisted  at  eighteen  in  the  Revolu- 
tionary Army,  where  he  gave  a  valiant  service  for  three 
years;  entered  college  in  1781  and  graduated  in  1785; 
studied  for  the  ministry,  and   was   licensed  to   preach   in 


REV.    JOSEPH    i:ai)<;er. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  loi 

1786.  He  occupied  a  pulpit  in  Massachusetts  for  a 
short  period,  when  he  resigned,  and  accepted  a  call  to  go, 
as  a  missionary,  to  the  Western  Reserve,  under  the 
auspices  of  the  Connecticut  Missionary  Society. 

On  the  15th  of  November,  1800,  he  mounted  his  horse, 
and  set  out  for  his  far-away  field  of  labor.  He  passed 
through  Pennsylvania,  crossed  the  Allegheny  Mount- 
ains in  a  snow-storm,  and  reached  Pittsburg  on  De- 
cember 14th.  After  a  couple  of  days  of  rest,  he  again 
pushed  on  through  the  woods,  and  late  on  a  Saturday 
night  reached  Youngstown.  His  first  sermon  on  the 
Reserve  was  preached  on  the  Sabbath  following  to  almost 
the  entire  population  finding  shelter  in  the  half-dozen 
log-cabins  of  which  the  town  was  composed.  He  soon 
pushed  on  to  other  settlements,  visiting  Vienna,  Hart- 
ford, Vernon,  Cleveland,  and  elsewhere  in  turn.  "  In 
this  way,"  says  his  biographer, ^-^  "  Rev.  Mr.  Badger  vis- 
ited, in  the  course  of  the  year  1801,  every  settlement  and 
nearly  every  family  throughout  the  Western  Reserve. 
In  doing  this,  he  often  rode  from  five  to  twenty-five  or 
thirty  miles  a  day,  carrying  with  him  in  saddle-bags  a 
scanty  supply  of  clothing  and  eatables,  and  often  travers- 
ing pathless  woodlands,  amid  storms  and  tempests,  swim- 
ming unbridged  rivers,  and  suffering  from  cold  and 
hunger,  and  at  the  same  time,  here  and  there,  visiting  lone 
families,  giving  them  and  their  children  religious  instruc- 
tion and  wholesome  advice,  and  preaching  at  points 
wherever  a  few  could  be  gathered  together,  sometimes  in 
a  log-cabin  or  in  a  barn,  and  sometimes  in  the  open  field 
or  in  a  woodland,  beneath  the  shadows  of  the  trees.  At 
about  this  time  he  preached  the  first  sermon  ever  heard 
in  Cleveland." 

He  was  a  visitor  at  this  city  on  the  i8th  of  August, 
1801,  and  lodged  at  Lorenzo  Carter's.  On  the  6th  of  vSep- 
tember  he  enters  this  record:  "  We  swam  our  horses 
across  the  Cuyahoga  by  ineans  of  a  canoe,  and  took 
an    Indian     path  up   the  lake ;    came     to    Rocky     River, 

""Joseph  Badger,"  by  Harvey  Rice,  "  Sketches  of  Western  Life,"  p.  59. 


I02  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

the  banks  of  which  were  very  high,  on  the  west  side 
almost  perpendicular.  While  cutting  the  brush  to  open 
a  way  for  our  horses,  we  were  saluted  by  the  song 
of  a  large  yellow  rattlesnake,  which  we  removed  out  of 
our  way."  In  the  year  following,  1802,  he  again  visited 
Cleveland,  and  did  not  receive  a  favorable  impression  con- 
cerning the  religious  desires  of  its  people.  He  says: 
"  Mr.  Burke's  family  in  Euclid,  had  been  in  this  lone  sit- 
uation for  over  three  years.  The  woman  had  been 
obliged  to  spin  and  weave  cattle's  hair  to  make  covering 
for  her  children's  bed.  From  thence  I  went  to  Cleveland, 
visited  the  only  two  families,  and  went  on  to  Newburg, 
where  I  preached  on  the  vSabbath.  There  were  five  fam- 
ilies here,  but  no  apparent  piety.  They  seemed  to  glory 
in  their  infidelity." 

In  the  fall  of  1801,  ]ylr.  Badger  visited  Detroit  on  horse- 
back, laboring  by  the  way  with  both  white  and  red  as 
they  came  across  his  path.  It  is  not  a  specially  engaging 
view  of  the  moral  condition  of  the  day,  when  we  read  his 
statement  that  he  found  no  one  in  all  the  reofion  whom 
he  could  regard  as  a  Christian,  "  except  a  black  man  who 
appeared  pious."  (Jn  his  return  he  paid  a  visit  to  Hud- 
son—a little  later  the  seat  of  learning  of  north-eastern 
Ohio — where  he  found  material  from  which  to  organize  a 
church,  the  membership  of  which  consisted  of  ten  men 
and  six  women.  To  Hudson,  therefore,  belongs  the 
credit  of  the  first  church  organization  on  the  Reserve. 

In  (3ctober,  he  returned  to  New  England,  where  he 
made  arrangements  to  return  to  the  west  with  his  family, 
on  a  salary  of  seven  dollars  per  week.  (Jn  February 
23rd,  1802,  he  loaded  his  household  effects  and  family  into 
a  wagon  drawn  by  four  horses,  and  started  upon  his  long 
journey,  covering  the  six  hundred  miles  in  sixty  days. 
He  decided  to  make  his  home  in  Austinburg,  where  he 
purchased  a  small  lot  of  land  and  put  up  a  log-cabin.  He 
soon  resumed  his  labors  in  the  field,  traveling  from  point 
to  point  as  before.  A  little  later  a  revival  season  of  con- 
siderable power  was  commenced  as  the  result  of  his  min- 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  103 

istrations.  He  organized  many  churches  and  schools  and 
continued  still  in  the  field,  although  his  eastern  sponsors 
reduced  his  pay  to  six  dollars  per  week.  In  1809,  he  re- 
turned to  Connecticut,  made  a  final  settlement  with  the 
missionary  society,  and  worked  no  longer  under  its  direc- 
tion. He  came  back  to  the  Reserve,  and  labored  as  a 
missionary  among  the  Indians  between  the  Cuyahoga  and 
Detroit.  He  took  an  active  interest  in  the  War  of  18 12, 
and  at  the  command  of  General  Harrison  filled  the  posi- 
tion of  chaplain.  He  afterwards  settled  as  the  pastor  of  a 
church  at  Austinburg ;  held  various  charges  in  other  loca- 
tions,  and  died  at  Perrysbtirg  in  1846,  at  the  advanced 
age  of  eighty-nine  years. 

"  In  personal  appearance,"  to  again  quote  from  his  bi- 
ographer, "  Rev.  Joseph  Badger  was  tall,  slim,  erect,  had 
blue  eyes,  brown  hair,  and  a  pleasing  expression  of  face. 
In  temperament  and  action,  he  was  quick  and  somewhat 
impulsive,  yet  he  was  considerate  and  slow  of  utterance, 
rarely,  if  ever,  uttering  an  imprudent  word.  In  his  so- 
cial intercourse,  he  was  sedate  or  facetious,  as  the  occasion 
seemed  to  require.  He  enjoyed  hearing  and  telling 
amusing  anecdotes.  In  his  style  of  preaching,  he  was 
apostolic,  plain,  siinple  and  logical.  In  creed  he  was  an 
orthodox  Presbyterian.  He  had  but  one  grand  aim  in 
life,  and  that  was  to  do  what  he  could  to  advance  the 
moral  and  spiritual  welfare  of  mankind.  In  a  word,  Rev. 
Joseph  Badger,  though  dead,  still  lives  and  will  ever  live 
in  memory  as  the  early  western  missionary  whose  philan- 
thropic and  life-long  labors  were  prompted  by  the  spirit 
of  a  true  Christian  manhood."  ''* 

The  arrival  of  Samuel  Huntington  and  Mr.  Badger  near 
the  same  period,  and  their  connection  in  the  beginning 

■"^  A  brief  mention  of  other  early  missionaries  is  permissible  here.  Na- 
than B.  Darrow  lived  in  Vienna,  Trumbull  County,  where  he  supplied  a 
church  for  a  portion  of  the  time,  and  performed  missionary  labor  for  the 
remainder.  Another  Avas  Jonathan  Leslie,  whose  home  was  in  Harpers- 
field.  Joshua  Beer  made  his  hoine  in  Springfield,  now  Svimmit  County, 
was  of  Scotch-Irish  descent,  and  "preached  very  acceptably."  Thomas 
Barr  lived  in  Euclid,  Cuyahoga  County,  and  was  "  one  of  the  most  ardent 


I04  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAXD. 

of  this  chapter  as  Cleveland's  first  bodily  exponents  of 
the  law  and  the  gospel,  recall  a  reputed  experience  of 
each,  in  illustration  of  the  fact  that  life  and  travel  in  the 
early  days  were  not  without  bodily  danger.  It  is  told  of 
Mr.  Huntington  that,  while  a  resident  of  Cleveland,  he 
came  near  being  devoured  by  wolves,  as  he  rode  in  from 
Painesville,  on  the  Euclid  road.  He  was  on  horseback, 
.alone,  in  the  dark,  and  floundering  through  the  swamp 
near  the  present  corner  of  Willson  and  Euclid  avenues. 
A  pack  of  hungry  wolves  fell  upon  his  trail,  and  made  a 
■combined  attack  upon  horse  and  man.  The  foriner,  in 
desperate  fright,  made  the  best  possible  use  of  his  heels, 
while  the  latter  laid  about  him  with  the  only  weapon  at 
command — an  umbrella.  Between  speed  and  defense, 
both  were  saved,  and  brought  up  in  safety  at  the  log- 
house  down  near  Superior  street. 

The  experience  of  Mr.  Badger  was  of  a  similar  charac- 
ter. He  was  urging  his  faithful  horse  through  the  woods 
of  the  Grand  River  bottoms,  while  the  rain  was  pouring 
down  in  torrents,  and  a  place  of  shelter  was  one  of  the 
uncertain  possibilities  of  the  future.  There  came  to  him 
after  a  time  the  knowledge  that  some  wild  animal  was  on 
his  trail,  and  raising  his  voice,  he  sent  up  a  shout  that 
would  have  frightened  many  of  the  smaller  denizens  of 
the  forest.  But  it  had  no  such  effect  on  the  big  bear  that 
was  on  his  trail.  On  the  contrary,  the  brute  was  aroused 
to  immediate  action,  and  made  a  rush  for  the  missionary, 
with  hair  on  end  and  eyes  of  fire.  The  only  weapon  ]\Ir. 
Badger  had  about  him,  if  such  it  might  be  called,  was  a 
large  horseshoe,  which  he  threw  at  the  bear's  nose,  and 
missed.     Then  he  rode  under  a  beech  tree,  tied  his  horse 

and  energetic  men  to  be  found."  Giles  H.  Cowles,  of  Austinbnrg,  was 
' '  a  man  of  good  sense  and  fine  education ;  a  tine  example  of  a  Connecticut 
pastor."  John  Seward  preached  in  Aurora,  and  filled  in  his  spare  time 
in  missionary  labor.  William  Handford,  Harvey  Coe,  Caleb  Pitkin,  Joseph 
Treat,  Mr.  Bacon  and  Joseph  Merriam  must  be  added  to  this  honorable 
list. — See  paper  on  "Pioneer  Clergymen,"  by  Samuel  Bissell,  "Annals 
of  Early  Settlers'  Association,"  No.  4,  ■^.  42.  Mention  should  also  be 
made  of  Rev.  Thomas  Robbins,  whose  labors  are  described  elsewhere. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  loj 

to  a  branch,  deserted  the  saddle  with  celerity,  and  climbed 
upward.  He  kept  on  for  a  long  distance,  found  a  con- 
venient seat,  tied  himself  to  the  tree  with  a  large  ban- 
danna, and  awaited  results.  The  bear  was  meanwhile 
nosing  about  the  horse,  as  though  preparing  for  an 
attack.  The  wind  came  up,  the  thunder  rolled,  and  the 
rain  fell  in  torrents.  The  occasional  flashes  of  lio-htnino- 
showed  that  the  horse  was  still  safe,  with  the  bear  on 
guard.  And  there  the  poor  missionary  clung  all  night, 
cold,  wet  through,  tired  and  sleepy;  and  there  the  bear 
waited  for  him  to  come  down.  But  at  daybreak  he  made 
for  his  lair,  while  Mv.  Badger  worked  his  way  down  as 
well  as  he  could,  and  rode  for  the  nearest  settlement. 

As  a  matter  of  historic  good  faith,  it  must  be  admitted 
that  Mr.  Badger  and  others  who  made  note  of  ungodli- 
ness, and  more  or  less  of  actual  evil,  on  the  Reserve,  in 
these  early  days,  were  fully  justified  in  all  they  said.  In 
Cleveland,  for  instance,  they  managed  to  exist  until  1816 
without  a  church  organization,  and  possessed  no  church 
building  until  1829,  while  constables,  and  courts,  and  the 
machinery  for  the  conduct  of  civil  affairs,  made  their  ap- 
pearance at  a  much  earlier  day.  It  has  becoiue  a  popular 
impression  that  the  pioneers  of  not  only  the  Western  Re- 
serve, but  of  all  western  sections  where  New  England 
elements  predominated,  were  pious  and  God-fearing  men, 
who  had  little  need  of  courts  or  the  officers  of  the  law. 
This  impression  is  too  often  strengthened  by  those  who 
talk  of  "  the  good  old  times  "  in  a  strain  that  would  indi- 
cate  that  all  of  the  early  times  were  good,  and  nothing 
but  good. 

On  the  other  hand,  it  is  a  fact  that  the  strong  arm  of 
the  law  was  needed  in  early  north-eastern  Ohio  as  else- 
where. There  was  no  lack  of  the  hardy  virtues  of  cour- 
age, hospitality,  comradeship  and  backwoods  chivalry, 
nor  was  there  an  absence  of  qualities  of  a  less  attractive 
character.     This  view  is  well   supported  by  one  writer,'" 

"  "  Rev.  Dr.  Robbins  on  the  Western  Reserve,"  by  B.  A.  Hinsdale,   in 
"  Magazine  of  Western  History,"  Vol.  X.,  p.  35S. 


io6  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

who  points  out  the  fact  that  "  the  first  settlers  were  not 
generally  godly  men,  such  as  founded  Plymouth,  Massa- 
chusetts, and  Connecticut,  or  even  Marietta  and  Gran- 
ville, Ohio.  The  men  who  have  created  the  traditional 
view  of  the  early  history  of  the  Reserve  have  either  been 
ignorant  of  the  following  facts,  or  they  have  accorded  to 
them  little  weight:  First,  the  Reserve  was  opened  to  set- 
tlement at  a  time  when  religfion  in  New  Eno-land  was  at 
a  low  ebb.  Secondly,  Old  Connecticut  did  not  at  first 
send,  as  a  rule,  what  she  considered  her  best  elements  to 
New  Connecticut.  At  a  later  day,  the  character  of  the 
emigration  improved  in  respect  to  religion  and  morals; 
but  the  first  emigration  was  largely  made  up  of  men  who 
desired  to  throw  off  the  heavy  trammels  of  an  old  and 
strongly  conservative  community,  where  Church  and 
State  were  closely  connected,  and  where  society  was  dom- 
inated by  political  and  religious  castes.  Still  further,  the 
east  was  at  this  time  swept  by  an  epidemic  of  land  specu- 
lation ;  while  the  laxative  moral  influence  of  a  removal 
from  an  old  and  well-ordered  society  to  the  woods  pro- 
duced its  usual  effects." 

This  view  is  supported  by  the  comments  made  by  Rev. 
Dr.  Thomas  Robbins,'"  a  missionary  whose  labors  upon 
the  Reserve  were  contemporaneous  with  those  of  Mr. 
Badger.  He  came  to  Ohio  in  1803,  reaching  Poland  in 
November,  where  his  first  sermon  was  preached.  He 
traveled  all  over  the  Reserve,  making  notes  of  his  im- 
pressions by  the  way,  and  describing  affairs  as  they  pre- 
sented themselves  to  his  vision.  There  is  little  doubt 
that  his  observations  were  made  from  an  unusually 
high  moral  standpoint,  and  that  he  saw  evil  where 
others  might  have  noted  onlv  an  absence  of  reliofious 
interest.  His  language  is  plain  and  to  the  point.  There 
was  inattention  to  spiritual  matters  everywhere.  At 
Canfield  the  people  "  appear  very  stupid,"  in  matters 
of  religion    and    are    not    "  disposed    to   attend  lectures; 

'*"  Diary  of  Thomas  Robbins,  D.  D.,    1796-1S54."      Edited   and  anno- 
tated by  Increase  N.  Tarbox:  two  volumes.     Boston,  18S6. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


107 


many  people  held  bad  principles  in  religion,  and  some 
were  much  inclined  to  infidelity."  At  Warren  they 
"were  careless  about  religious  affairs;"  and  later  he 
adds  the  surprising  statement  that  "  the  greater  part  of 
the  New  England  people  in  the  country  are  prett}^  loose 
characters." 

In  Poland  they  are  "  pretty  stupid  in  regard  to  the  ex- 
cellency and  spirit  of  religion;"  in  Hudson  even  "the 
serious  people  "  were  "  dull  and  worldly."  In  Cleveland 
he  found  the  people  "  loose  in  principles  and  conduct," 
and  "  few  of  them  had  heard  a  sermon  or  a  hymn  in 
eighteen  months."  According  to  his  rigid  views,  there 
are  few  serious  persons  in 
Middlefield;  in  Mesopo- 
tamia they  are  "  much  in- 
clined to  infidelity;"  in 
Mentor  they  traded  on  the 
Sabbath.  It  is  only  fair 
to  assume  that  in  all  this 
Mr.  Robbins  spoke  from 
an  extreme  standpoint,  and 
meant  simply  that  all  that 
which  was  not  directly  re- 
ligious needed  his  condem- 
nation. 

The 


JOHN    DOAN. 


year  1801  was  not 
eventful,  so  far  as  the  fortunes  of  Cleveland  were  con- 
cerned. Elisha  Norton  opened  a  store  in  Carter's  house. 
Mr.  Spafford  re-surveyed  the  streets  and  lanes  of  the  city 
in  November,  and  "  planted  fifty-four  posts  of  oak,  about 
one  foot  square,  at  the  principal  corners,"  for  which  he 
charged  a  half-dollar  each,  "  and  fifty  cents  for  grub- 
bing out  a  tree  at  the  north-east  corner  of  the  Square." 
Local  improvements  were  certainly  not  progressing  at  a 
promising  rate.  It  is  a  comfort  to  learn  that  the  health 
of  the  people  was  good. 

Among  the  arrivals  was  that  of  Samuel  Hamilton  and 
family,  who   settled  in  Newburg.       Another  notable  ac- 


foS  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

cession  was  that  of  the  family  of  Timothy  Doan,  a 
brother  of  Nathaniel  Doan,  whose  location  in  Cleveland 
and  subsequent  removal  to  Doan's  Corners  has  already 
been  recorded.  Timothy  was  a  resident  of  Herkimer 
County,  N.  Y.,  but  was  "seized  with  the  western  fever," 
as  we  are  told  by  his  son,  John  Doan."  The  family 
consisted  of  father,  mother  and  six  children — Nancy, 
Seth,  Timothy,  Jr.,  Mary,  Deborah  and  John,  who  was 
then  but  three  years  old.  They  traveled  with  ox  teams, 
and  one  pair  of  horses.  The  father  and  one  son  pushed 
on  ahead  from  Buffalo,  by  way  of  Indian  trails,  carrying 
a  part  of  the  household  goods  on  the  backs  of  horses  and 
oxen,  as  there  were  no  roads  for  wagons.  "  In  1799,  a 
road  had  been  surveyed  from  the  Pennsylvania  line  to 
the  Cuyahoga  River,"  to  quote  from  the  son's  narrative, 
"  but  no  bridge  had  been  built  over  the  intervening 
streams.  They  pushed  through  to  Uncle  Nathaniel's 
house  in  East  Cleveland,  and  were  soon  enjoying  their 
first  attack  of  ague." 

The  mother  and  the  four  children  left  with  her  at  Buf- 
falo, made  the  trip  by  water.  She  was  accompanied  by 
an  Indian,  and  several  white  men  who  had  been  enofasfed 
to  assist  her  on  the  journey.  They  came  in  a  row-boat 
propelled  by  oars  at  times,  and  again  by  a  tow-line  car- 
ried on  the  bank.  Besides  their  furniture  and  household 
goods,  they  carried  a  box  of  live  geese,  which  were  de- 
clared to  be  "  the  first  domesticated  birds  of  the  kind 
ever  brought  into  CJhio."  At  the  mouth  of  Grand  River 
the  boat  was  overturned,  throwing  mother,  children, 
goods  and  box  overboard.  By  good  fortune  the  water 
was  shallow,  and  while  the  red  man  carried  the  children 
ashore,  the  white  men  and  ]\Irs.  Doan  saved  the  goods. 
The  geese  were  carried  out  into  the  lake,  but  becoming 
in  some  way  freed  from  their  prison,  swam  ashore,  and 
were  recaptured. 

'^  "  Sketch  of  the  Doan  Family,"  by  John  Doan,  '"  Annals  of  the  Early 
Settlers'  Association,"  No.  6,  jd.  51.  We  sometimes  find  the  name  of  this 
pioneer  family  spelled  with  a  final  "  e. "  The  author  has  followed  the 
spelling  almost  universally  used  in  the  records. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  log 

At  this  point,  Timothy  and  Nathaniel  met  them,  and 
the  boat  was  taken  on  to  Cleveland  without  further  ad- 
venture. Mrs.  Doan,  however,  had  no  further  desire  for 
marine  traveling,  and  insisted  upon  coming  overland. 
"  As  none  of  the  men  could  be  spared  to  accompany 
mother,"  says  the  son,  John,  "  Uncle  Nathaniel  came 
with  her.  They  came  on  horseback,  having  two  horses, 
and  bringing  three  children.  Polly  and  Deborah  rode 
with  Uncle  Nathaniel  on  one,  and  mother  riding  the  other 
carried  me.  The  first  clearing  we  reached  was  at  Men- 
tor, Avhere  there  were  two  or  three  houses.  The  next 
break  in  the  woods  was  at  Willoughby,  where  'Squire 
Abbott,  who  had  arrived  in  1798  and  built  the  first  mill 
in  this  section,  lived.  For  another  six  miles  we  saw 
no  houses.  Then  we  passed  the  log  residence  of  Joseph 
Burke,  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  on  the  Reserve,  who 
had  a  brother  living  in  Newburof-  After  traveling 
nine  miles  further  west,  without  passing  or  seeing  a 
single  house,  we  arrived  at  Uncle  Nathaniel  Doan's  log- 
cabin,  in  April,  1801.  It  may  be  considered  by  some 
a  rather  remarkable  fact  that  in  the  eighty  odd  years 
since  my  advent  into  East  Cleveland,  I  have  always  lived 
within  two  and  a  half  miles  of  the  spot  where  Uncle 
Nathaniel's  house  then  stood." 

Timothy  purchased  two  one  hundred  and  sixty-acre 
sections  of  land,  for  which  he  paid  a  little  over  one  dollar 
an  acre.  He  built  a  log-house  under  a  hill  south  of  the 
Euclid  road,  six  miles  east  of  the  Public  Square,  into 
which  they  moved  in  November.  "  The  location,"  adds 
the  son,  "  which  was  in  the  midst  of  a  large  hickory 
grove,  proved  very  desirable  that  winter,  for  we  were 
able  to  get  little  but  hickory  nuts  to  eat.  There  was  a 
camp  of  Indians  within  forty  rods  of  the  house,  and  my 
only  playmates  for  several  years  were  Indian  pappooses. 
We  lived  in  this  log-cabin  about  six  years,  father  and  the 
older  boys  clearing  away  the  timber  and  raising  corn  and 
potatoes  among  the  stumps.  They  did  not  plow  the 
ground,  but  dragged  it." 


jio  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

It  was  in  this  vear  1801  that  Cleveland  celebrated  the 
Fourth  of  July  with  the  first  grand  social  gathering  it  had 
attempted.  It  was  regarded  as  a  success  in  all  essential 
features,  and  was  held  in  Major  Carter's  double  log- 
house,  on  the  hill,  near  the  corner  of  Union  and  Superior 
lanes.  It  is  related  in  the  manuscript  collections  of  Judge 
Barr  that  John  Wood,  Ben  Wood  and  R.  H.  Blin  acted 
as  managers;  Major  Samuel  Jones  was  chief  musician  and 
master  of  ceremonies ;  Avhile  about  a  dozen  ladies  and 
twenty  gentlemen  constituted  the  company.  "  Notwith- 
standing the  floors  were  of  rough  puncheons,  and  their 
best  beverage  was  made  of  maple  sugar,  hot  water  and 
whiskv,  probably  no  celebration  of  Ainerican  independ- 
ence was  ever  inore  joyous  than  this." 

The  arrival  of  Timothy  Doan's  family  in  the  preceding 
spring  afforded  one  young  man  an  opportunity  of  show- 
ing his  gallantry,  by  a  ride  of  six  miles  and  back  as 
escort,  and  has  given  us  a  pleasant  little  picture  of  the 
social  life  of  the  day.  Oilman  Bryant,  whose  father  had 
cut  Newburg's  first  mill-stones,  and  set  up  Cleveland's 
earliest  whisky  still,  has  described  his  part  in  this  ball, 
in  the  statement  already  quoted:  "  I  waited  on  Miss 
Doan,  who  had  just  arrived  at  the  Corners,  four  miles  east 
of  town.  I  was  then  about  seventeen  years  of  age,  and 
Miss  Doan  about  fourteen.  I  was  dressed  in  the  then 
style — a  gingham  suit — my  hair  cj  11  cued  with  one  and  a 
half  yards  of  black  ribbon,  about  as  long  and  as  thick  as 
a  corncob,  with  a  little  tuft  at  the  lower  end;  and  for  the 
want  of  poinatum,  I  had  a  piece  of  candle  rubbed  on  my 
hair,  and  then  as  much  flour  sprinkled  on,  as  could  stay 
without  falling  off.  I  had  a  good  wool  hat,  and  a  pair  of 
brogans  that  would  help  to  play  '  Fisher's  Hornpipe,'  or 
*  Hie,  Bettie  Martin,'  when  I  danced.  When  I  went  for 
Miss  Doan  I  took  an  old  horse ;  when  she  was  ready  I 
rode  up  to  a  stump  near  the  cabin,  she  mounted  the 
stump,  and  spread  her  under  petticoat  on  Old  Tib  behind 
me,  secured  her  calico  dress  to  keep  it  clean,  and  then 
mounted  on  behind  me.      I  had  a  fine  time!" 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  iii 

In  1802,  the  administration  of  territorial  affairs  had  so 
changed  that  citizens  of  the  townships  were  permitted  to 
elect  their  trustees,  appraisers,  supervisors  of  highways, 
fence-viewers,  overseers  of  the  poor  and  constables,  by 
viva  voce  vote,  although  the  choice  of  their  justices  of  the 
peace  and  militia  officers  was  not  yet  permitted  them.  It 
was  ordered,  in  the  February  preceding,  by  the  Court  of 
Quarter  Sessions  that  the  first  town  meeting  for  Cleve- 
land should  be  held  at  the  house  of  James  Kingsbury. 
The  following  is  the  official  report  of  that  gathering : 

"  Agreeably  to  order  of  the  Court  of  General  Quarter 
Sessions,  the  inhabitants  of  the  town  of  Cleaveland  met 
at  the  house  of  James  Kingsbury,  Esq.,  the  5th  day  of 
April,  A.  D.  1802,  for  a  town  meeting,  and  chose: 

"  CJiairiiuDi,  Rodolphus  Edwards. 

"  Toivn  Clerk,  Nathaniel  Doan. 

"  Trustees,  Amos  Spafford,  Esq.,  Timothy  Doan,  Wm. 
W.  Williams. 

''  Appraisers  of  Houses,   Samuel  Hamilton,    Elijah  Gun. 

"  Lister,  Ebenezer  Ayrs. 

"  Supervisors  of  HigJnvays,  Sam'l  Huntington,  Esq., 
Nath'l  Doan,  Sam'l  Hamilton. 

"  Overseers  of  the  Poor,  AVilliam  W.  "Williams,  Samuel 
Huntington,  Esq. 

"  Feuee  Vieicers,  Lorenzo  Carter,  Nathan  Chapman. 

"  Constables,  Ezekiel  Hawley,  Richard  Craw. 

"  A  true  copy  of  the  proceedings  of  the  inhabitants  of 
Cleaveland  at  their  town  meeting,  examined  per  me, 

Nathaniel  Doan,   Tozl'u  Clerk/' 

At  the  August  sittinor  of  the  court  that  had  ordered  the 
above  election,  Amos  Spafford  and  Lorenzo  Carter  were 
each  granted  a  license  to  keep  a  tavern,  on  the  payment 
of  four  dollars.  Carter  put  up  a  frame  house'^''  on  the 
hill,  west  of  Water  street  and  north  of  Superior  lane, 
which  was  burned  down  almost  as  soon  as  finished. 
Amos   vSpafford  also    built  himself  a  frame   house,    near 

^"  The  date  given  in  Whittlesey's  "  Early  History  of  Cleveland,"  p.  10,  is 
18O2.     Lorenzo  Carter's  son,  Alonzo,  places  it  in  1S03. 


J 12  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

the  west  end  of  Superior  street,  on  the  south  side.  Amos 
further  proved  his  enterprise  in  the  year  following-  by  the 
erection  of  yet  another  frame  house,  on  the  brow  of  the 
hill,  between  Superior  and  Vineyard  lanes,  at  the  end  of 
Superior  street.  This  building  is  identified  to  the  re- 
membrance of  the  older  settlers  by  a  memorandum  in  the 
Barr  manuscripts,'^'  to  the  effect  that  Daniel  Worley, 
postmaster,  once  occupied  it  as  a  residence. 

The  public  instruction  of  the  young  was  inaugurated 
in  Cleveland  in  the  year  now  under  consideration,  by 
Miss  Anna  Spafford,  who  made  effective  use  of  the  well 
known  "  front  room  "  of  Major  Carter's,  where  she  gath- 
ered perhaps  a  dozen  youngsters  of  the  settlement,  and 
taught  them  the  simplest  forms  of  book  knowledge. ^^  It 
is  really  to  be  regretted  that  the  early  chroniclers,  who- 
tell  us  so  much  about  Bryant's  distillery,  and  the  hang- 
ing of  a  young  Indian,  have  left  such  meager  details  con- 
cerning this  modest  venture.  When  the  history  of  edu- 
cation in  Ohio  comes  to  be  fully  written,  it  will  be  found 
that  out  of  these  little  educational  gatherings,  found  here 
and  there  in  the  scattered  settlements,  was  evolved  that 
wonderful  force  that,  in  the  hands  of  men  like  Harvey 
Rice  and  his  helpers,  was  made  a  mighty  power  in  our 
common  school  system  of  a  later  day. 

Education  was,  even  in  that  day,  a  matter  of  almost  re- 
ligious duty  w^th  the  New  Englander,  and  when  the  sons 
of  Connecticut  and  Massachusetts  brought  their  small 
possessions  and  large  ambitions  into  the  wilderness,  they 

^'  Col.  AVhittlesey  in  his  preface  to  "  Earlv  History  of  Cleveland,"  savs: 
"  The  materials  for  this  work  have  been  aecunitilating  many  years,  but  were 
far  from  complete,  when  Judge  Barr  turned  over  to  me  his  historical  col- 
lections wnthout  reservation.  He  has  been  engaged,  with  much  assiduity, 
more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century,  in  reclaiming  the  personal  history  of 
the  pioneers;  a  labor  which  I  trust  their  descendants  will  appreciate.  The 
extent  of  the  obligations  I  am  under  to  him  will  appear  frequently  in  this 
volume. ' ' 

"-  It  seems  necessary-  to  state  that  in  the  Barr  manuscripts  ( ' '  Early  History 
of  Cleveland,"  p.  360),  we  find  this  statement,  under  date  of  1800:  "A 
school-house  was  built  this  season,  near  Kmgsbury's,  on  the  ridge  road, 
and  Miss  Sarah  Doan,  daughter  of  Nathaniel  Doan,  was  the  teacher." 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  iij- 

brought,  also,  their  faith  in  knowledge,  and  set  up  the 
school-house  as  soon  as  the  log-cabin  and  the  church  were 
completed.  A  most  potent  fact  in  illustration  of  this  is 
found  in  a  comparison  of  those  settlements  in  the  new 
west  which  were  settled  from  the  south,  with  those 
whose  population  came  from  New  England. 

Marietta,  on  the  Ohio,  built  by  the  descendants  of  the 
Puritans  of  Massachusetts,  had  hardly  been  set  fairly  un- 
der way  before  Daniel  Story  was  at  work  in  his  combined 
office  of  minister  and  schoolmaster.  As  early  as  1790, 
Bethesda  Rouse  conducted  a  school  for  boys  and  girls  in 
Belpre ;  down  on  the  Ohio,  at  Columbia,  Frances  Dun- 
levy  opened  a  school  near  the  close  of  1792;  in  1802,  a 
school  was  established  in  Harpersfield,  and  vSoon  enjoyed 
a  noted  reputation,  under  the  able  direction  of  Abraham 
Tappan. 

The  subject  of  education  was  frequently  discussed  in 
the  territorial  legislatures,  and  although  little  or  nothing 
was  done,  there  was  enough  said  to  show  that  the  matter 
was  counted  of  no  small  importance.  In  the  first  consti- 
tution of  the  State,  it  was  made  an  imperative  duty  that 
schools  and  the  means  of  education  should  be  carefully 
looked  after ;  while  in  another  section  the  interests  of  the 
poor  in  this  regard  were  carefully  guarded.  It  was  re- 
quired in  the  ordinance  of  1787,  that  schools  and  the 
means  of  education  should  be  encouraged,  while  the  new 
constitution  pointed  out  how  this  end  could  be  secured. 
"  From  1802  to  182  i,"  to  quote  from  an  able  article  along 
this  line  of  thought, ^"^  "  the  acts  of  the  Legislature  re- 
garding education,  under  the  power  conferred  by  the 
constitution,  were  confined  to  the  passage  of  bills  author- 
izing the  incorporation  of  seminaries,  religious  and  edu- 
cational societies,  and  providing  for  the  lease  of  school 
land.  Nothing  was  done  toward  the  establishinent  of 
schools  by  means  of  local  or  general  taxation.  • 
It  must   not    be    understood  that    there    were    none    to 

^^  "Early   Education   in  Ohio." — Magazine  of  Western  History,  Vol. 
III.,  p.  219. 


114  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

lift  up  a  voice  to  advocate  a  system  of  common  schools. 
During  the  first  twenty  years  of  Ohio's  existence,  the  men 
holding  office  were  earnest  in  their  endeavor  to  obtain  a 
wise  legislation  on  the  part  of  the  General  Assembly.  Pri- 
vate citizens  were  not  lacking  who  tried  to  show  the  Legis- 
lature the  importance  of  the  trust  confided  to  their  keeping, 
and  who  were  swift  to  denounce  the  power  of  abuse  over 
the  common  school  lands,  by  which  the  children  of  the 
next  generation  would  be  deprived  of  their  just  rights." 

The  schools  within  reach  of  all  classes  prior  to  the  pas- 
sage of  the  Ohio  common  school  law  were  such  as  were 
provided  by  private  means.  In  the  days  when  Miss  Doan 
and  Miss  Spafford  taught  the  youngsters  of  Cleveland 
and  "  the  Ridge,"  only  the  rudest  surroundings  and  the 
humblest  appliances  were  within  their  reach.  One  of 
the  earliest  school-houses  has  been  thus  described :  A  loaf- 
cabin  with  a  rough  stone  chimney ;  a  foot  or  two  cut  here 
and  there  to  admit  the  light,  with  greased  paper  over  the 
openings ;  a  large  fire-place ;  puncheon  floor ;  a  few 
benches  made  of  split  logs  with  the  flat  side  up,  and  a 
well  developed  birch  rod  over  the  master's  seat.  A 
teacher  who,  as  late  as  1813,  received  ten  dollars  a 
month,  payable  in  produce,  was  looked  upon  as  receiving 
good  wages.  We  are  told  of  an  ambitious  young  man  of 
Lorain  County,  who  desired  higher  instruction  than  the 
neighborhood  afforded,  and  rode  over  one  hundred  miles 
before  he  could  find  a  Latin  dictionary.  Even  books  of 
the  commonest  character  were  not  to  be  had  in  abun- 
dance, and  in  one  of  the  schools  the  letters  of  the  alphabet 
were  pasted  on  one  side  of  a  small  wooden  paddle,  and 
the  multiplication  table  on  the  other.  It  was  passed 
from  hand  to  hand  for  the  purpose  of  study,  and  often, 
when  not  in  use  as  an  educational  factor,  was  converted 
into  an  instrument  for  the  enforcement  of  obedience. 

"If    a    family    possessed    a    Webster  s    Spelling  Book,'' 
says   one   of    the   pioneers, ^^   in   writing  of  a  little  later 

**  ' '  Incidents  in  the  career  of  the  Morgan  Family, ' '  by  Isham  A.  Mor- 
gan, "  Annals  of  the  Early  Settlers'  Association,"  No.  5,  p.  28. 


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THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  us 

time,  "  an  American  Preceptor,  or  a  Cohtinbian  Orator, 
or  a  Dwight's  Geography,  which  were  used  for  reading 
books,  a  Daboll's  or  Adams's  AritJimetic,  and  a  slate  and 
pencil  for  ciphering,  and  paper,  ink  and  goose  qtiills  for 
writing,  and  possibly  a  Murray's  Grammar  for  such  as 
wished  to  study  grammar;  with  these  it  was  supposed 
that  the  youths  were  fully  armed  and  equipped  for  school 
exercise.  Takino:  the  dinner  basket  filled  with  the  noon 
repast,  they  put  out  for  the  log  school-house,  perhaps 
from  one  to  three  miles  distant,  and  the  greater  part  of 
the  way  through  the  woods.  And  on  their  arrival  there, 
spent  their  hours  with  their  teacher  in  acquiring  a  knowl- 
edo'e  of  what  was  called  a  common  school  education." 
Judge  Dickman,  in  the  address  already  quoted,  tells  of 
three  Western  Reserve  boys  of  the  early  day  who  left 
home  for  Connecticut  to  get  their  education,  with  fifteen 
dollars  among  them,  and  so  frugally  did  they  fare,  and 
so  economically  did  they  travel,  that  on  their  arrival 
East  they  still  had  twelve  dollars ;  while  another  young 
man,  who  went  to  New  England  for  an  education  "  bought 
him  a  cow,  and  trudging  at  her  heels  with  his  book,  lived  on 
her  milk  and  what  he  got  in  exchange  for  it,  and  sold  her 
at  an  advance  when  he  reached  his  point  of  destination." 
If  the  records  show  us  but  little  concerning  the  schools 
kept  by  Miss  Spafford  and  Miss  Doan,  the  same  cannot 
be  said  of  a  more  ambitious  endeavor  that  came  but  a  few 
years  later.  Asael  Adams,  who  was  born  on  July  Qtli, 
1786,  at  Canterbury,  Conn.,  was  brought  by  his  father  to 
Liberty  township,  Trumbull  County,  O.,  in  1802.  (He 
became  a  brother-in-law  of  Camden  Cleaveland,  who  was 
a  brother  of  Moses  Cleaveland.)  When  but  twenty  years 
of  age,  young  Adams  came  to  Cleveland,  where  he 
opened  a  school — the  first  of  the  kind  of  any  pretension 
of  which  I  have  found  trace.  His  salary  was  ten  dol- 
lars per  month  and  board,  and  among  his  patrons  were 
Samuel  Huntington,  James  Kingsbury,  W.  AV.  Williams, 
George  Kilbourne,  vSusannah  Hammil,  Elijah  Gun,  and 
David  Kellogg.      Governor  Huntington  sent  four  children 


Ji6  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

to  the  school,  George  Kilbourne  three,  James  Hamilton 
two,  James  Kingsbury  five,  David  Kellogg  three,  and 
W.  W.  Williams  four.  "  This  log  school-house,"  says 
the  son''*^  of  this  teacher,  from  whom  this  information  was 
obtained,  ''  stood  near  the  foot  of  vSuperior  street.  This 
school  was  the  simple  expression  of  the  will  of  a  sturdy 
community  to  give  its  boys  and  girls  as  good  a  chance  as 
the  commtinity  could  then  afford  to  pay  for."  The 
agreement  made  in  October,  1806,  under  which  ]Mr. 
Adams  taught,  was  as  follows: 

* '  Articles  of  agreement  made  and  entered  into  between 
Asael  Adams  on  the  one  part  and  the  undersigned  on  the 
other,  witnesseth,  that  we,  the  undersigned,  do  agree  to 
hire  the  said  Adams  for  the  sum  of  Ten  Dollars  (Si 0.00) 
a  month,  to  be  paid  in  money  or  wheat  at  the  market 
price,  whenever  such  time  may  be  that  the  school  doth 
end,  and  to  make  said  house  comfortable  for  the  school 
to  be  taught  in,  and  to  furnish  benches  and  fire- wood 
sufficient.  And  I,  the  said  Adams,  do  agree  to  keep  six 
hours  in  each  day,  and  to  keep  good  order  in  said  school." 

The  year  1 803^^  is  introduced  by  one  of  our  earlier  local 
historians,  as  characterized  by  three  blessings:  Good 
health  for  the  peopl^^;  an  increase  in  emigration,  and  the 
organization  of  the  State  of  Ohio. 

The  two  first-named  had  a  direct  bearing  upon  the 
fortunes  of  Cleveland.  The  third  may  not  have  been  so 
early  in  its  effects,  but  of  course  the  formation  of  a  stable 
vState  o-overnment  had  in  the  long  run  an  influence  for  eood 
upon  the  growth  and  development  of  all  the  territory  with- 
in its  borders. 

■■■''  The  author  is  under  obligations  to  Whittlesey  Adams,  of  Warren, 
Ohio,  for  this  original  information  concerning  this  school.  ]\Ir.  Adams  is 
the  possessor  of  the  original  contract  quoted  above,  and  also  of  two  con- 
tracts for  carrying  mail,  between  Asael  Adams  and  the  Government,  re- 
ference to  which  is  made  at  a  later  point.  Asael  Adams  was  the  father 
of  Comfort  A.  Adams,  Asael  E.  Adams,  Fitch  Adams  and  Alfred  Adams, 
of  Cleveland,  and  George  Adams  and  Whittlesey  Adams,  of  Warren. 

*•*  It  is  in  this  year  that  Harris's  "  Journal  of  a  Tour  "  (p.  120),  speaks 
of  Cleveland  as  "  a  pleasant  little  town,  favorably  situated  on  the  borders 
of  Lake  Erie,  at  the  mouth  of  Cuyahoga  River. ' ' 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  117 

The  election  of  Edward  Paine  to  the  Territorial  Leofisla- 
ture  has  already  been  recorded.  He  found  that  body  di- 
vided into  factions,  and  with  much  heat  discussing  the 
question  whether  Ohio  should  continue  in  her  present 
condition,  or  form  a  State  Government.  There  was  no 
small  opposition  to  Governor  St.  Clair,  and  in  1801 
Thomas  Worthington  was  sent  to  Congress  by  those  op- 
posed, and  largely  through  his  efforts  a  law  was  passed 
authorizing  a  State  Convention  for  the  purpose  of  consid- 
ering the  expediency  of  a  State  Government,  and  to  form 
a  Constitution  if  the  people  so  wished. 

In  accordance  with  this  act,  the  first  Constitutional 
Convention  met  at  Chillicothe,  on  November  ist,  1802. 
As  already  stated,  Samuel  Huntington  represented  Trum- 
bull County.  The  duty  entrusted  to  that  great  body 
was  soon  performed.  The  organic  law,  expressed  in  the 
document  there  carefully  prepared,  was  sound  and  prac- 
tical, and  the  people  of  Ohio  lived  under  its  restrictions 
and  safeguards  for  over  fifty  years.  It  was  never  submit- 
ted to  the  people,  but  adopted  directly  by  the  body  in 
which  it  was  formed.  By  an  act  of  Congress  it  was  ap- 
proved on  February,  1803,  and  Ohio  proudly  took  her 
position  as  the  seventeenth  vState  in  the  Union. 

Under  the  provisions  of  the  Constitution,  vState  officers 
were  elected,  and  on  March  ist,  1803,  the  first  State  Leg- 
islature met  at  Chillicothe.  Courts  were  created,  and 
election  laws  passed ;  new  counties  organized,  and  State 
officers  appointed — Samuel  Huntington  taking  his  seat  as 
one  of  the  first  judges  of  the  Ohio  Supreme  Court. 

In  Cleveland,  the  town  election  of  1803  was  held  very 
much  in  the  saine  manner  as  that  of  the  year  before  under 
St.  Clair  and  the  Territorial  Government,  and  at  the  same 
place — the  residence  of  James  Kingsbury.  The  record  of 
this  gathering  is  tersely  given  in  the  ancient  township 
book  among  the  archives  of  Cleveland's  city  clerk,  from 
which  quotation  has  already  been  made.  The  record  is 
illegible  in  several  places,  but  enough  remains  to  show 
that  in  this  spring  of  1803  "  the  inhabitants  of  the  Town 


ii8  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

of  Cleaveland  met  at  the  house  of  James  Kingsbury,  Esq., 
for  a  township  meeting,  and  proceed  and  chose, 

"  Amos  Spafford,  Esq.,  Chairman. 

"  Nathl.  Doan,  Town  Clerk. 

"  Amos  Spafford,  Esq.,  James  Kingsbury,  Esq.,  and 
Timothy  Doan,  Trustees. 

"  James  Kingsbury,  Esq.,  and  James  Hamilton,  Over- 
seers of  the  Poor. 

''  Rodolphus  Edwards  and  Ezekiel  Hawley  and  Amos 
Spafford,  Esq.,  Fence  Viewers. 

"  Elijah  Gun  and  Samuel  Huntington,  Esq.,  Apprais- 
ers of  Houses. 

"  James  Kingsbury,  Esq.,  Lister. 

"  AVm.  Elivin,  James  Kingsbury,  Esq.,  and  Timothy 
Doan,  vSupervisors  of  Highways. 

"  Rodolphus  Edwards,  Constable." 

In  the  June  following,  the  electors  again  met  at  the  res- 
idence of  James  Kingsbury,  for  the  purpose  of  choosing 
two  justices  of  the  peace.  Samuel  Jones  acted  as  chair- 
man ;  Amos  Spafford  and  Timothy  Doan  were  elected  to 
the  offices  named.  The  next  entry  upon  this  record  is  as 
follows : 

"The  qualified  voters  of  the  township  of  Cleaveland 
met  at  the  house  of  James  Kingsbury,  Esq.,  the  eleventh 
day  of  October,  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  three, 
to  elect  one  senator  and  two  representatives  to  the  Assem- 
bly. When  met,  proceeded  and  appointed  James  Kings- 
bury, Esq.,  Timothy  Doan,  Esq.,  andNath.  Doan  judges, 
and  Rodolphus  Edwards  and  Stephen  Gilbert  clerks  of  the 
election,  and  after  being  qualified  received  the  votes,  and 
by  examining  them  found  that  Benjamin  Tappan  had 
seventy-one  votes  for  senator.  David  Abbott  seventy- 
two  for  representative  to  the  Assembly ;  Ephraim  Ouim- 
by  nineteen  votes  for  representative  to  the  Assembly, 
Amos  Spafford  one  vote  for  senator  and  one  for  repre- 
sentative to  the  Assembly,  and  David  Hudson  one  vote  for 
representative  to  the  Assembly,  which  may  appear  by  the 
Poll  Book  in  this  office." 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  iig 

There  was  an  accession  to  the  commercial  interests  of 
the  city  in  1804,  when  Oliver  Culver,  who  had  been  here 
previously  as  a  surveyor,  arrived  with  a  boat-load  of  dry 
goods,  groceries,  liquors,  etc.,  and  opened  a  store.  He 
had  loaded  at  Black  Rock,  and  had  paid  three  dollars  per 
barrel  for  transportation.  For  some  reason  his  stay  Avas 
brief,  and  the  next  year  saw  him  settled  upon  a  farm  in 
New  York.  The  main  business  interests  of  the  settle- 
ment had  been  for  vSome  time  in  the  hands  of  David  Bry- 
ant, whose  commodity  was  of  a  liquid  nature ;  David  Clark 
and  Elisha  Norton,  who  carried  on  trade  with  the  In- 
dians; and  Alexander  Campbell,  a  Scotchman  who  built 
a  trading  house  and  devoted  himself  to  the  same  line  of 
business.  "  This  little  cluster  of  cabins  around  the  dis- 
tillery, ' '  says  one  authority, "^^  "under  the  hill,  formeda  con- 
stant attraction  for  both  Indians  and  squaws,  especially  at 
the  time  of  their  annual  return  from  their  hunting  ex- 
peditions up  the  river.  The  squaws  bought  the  gaudiest 
calicos  they  could  find,  and  scarfs  of  the  brightest  hues, 
and  were  not  averse  while  trading  to  exchanging  glances 
with  the  traders,  who  were  great  men  because  they  had 
so  much  calico.  The  warriors,  more  simple  in  their  de- 
sires, bought  whisky."  These  Indian  neighbors,  upon 
the  whole,  seemed  to  have  been  moderately  well  behaved, 
there  being  but  little  upon  the  record  which  shows  the 
contrary.  The  killing  of  Menompsy,  already  noted,  and 
the  crime  for  which  O'Mic  was  executed  at  a  later  day, 
were  so  exceptional  in  their  character  as  to  stand  out  as 
marked  exceptions. 

In  those  days,  when  the  danger  of  Indian  attack  was 
always  present,  and  the  relations  of  the  United  States 
with  the  British  neighbor  across  the  lakes  were  not  always 
of  an  amicable  nature,  it  was  natural  that  military  affairs 
should  receive  some  attention.  In  1804,  a  serious  attempt 
was  made  to  properly  organize  the  militia,  and  on  April 
6th  Major  General  Wadsworth  issued  an  order  dividing 
his  district  into  two  brigade  districts,  the  second  of  which 


87 


"  History  of  Cuyahoga  County,"  compiled  by  Crisfield  Johnson,  p.  49. 


I20  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

embraced  Trumbull  County.  This  was  subdivided  into 
two  regimental  districts,  in  one  of  which  was  found  all  of 
the  present  Cuyahoga  County  east  of  the  river,  and  other 
adjacent  territory ;  containing  eight  company  districts, 
the  fourth  of  which  comprised  the  civil  township  of 
Cleveland. 

In  the  same  order  the  companies  were  directed  to  hold 
elections  on  the  second  day  of  the  May  following,  when 
each  was  to  choose  its  own  officers.  In  accordance  there- 
with," the  qualified  electors  of  the  fourth  company  dis- 
trict, in  the  second  brigade,  of  the  fourth  division  of  the 
Ohio  Militia,"  met  "  at  the  house — of  James  Kingsbury," 
of  course ;  the  people  about  Cleveland  had  come  to  look 
upon  that  hospitable  cabin  as  headquarters  for  all  such 
gatherings. 

There  was  trouble  on  this  occasion.  The  redoubtable 
Lorenzo  Carter  was  elected  captain ;  Nathaniel  Doan,  lieu- 
tenant, and  Samuel  Jones,  ensign,  all  of  which  is  duly 
attested  in  a  report"^*^  to  General  Wadsworth,  by  James 
Kingsbury,  Nathaniel  Doan  and  Benjamin  Gold,  judges 
of  election.  The  opposition  expressed  themselves  in  a 
somewhat  formidable  document,  addressed  to  the  same 
high  military  authority.  There  were  eight  signers, 
among  whom  we  find  our  old  acquaintances,  Messrs.  Spaf- 
ford,  Edwards,  Williains  and  Hamilton.  They  declare 
that  the  proceedings  were  illegal  and  improper,  in  that 
persons  under  the  age  of  eighteen  were  permitted  to  vote ; 
that  some  not  liable  to  military  duty  were  also  allowed  to 
vote ;  in  admitting  others  who  did  not  ' '  belong  to  the 
town;"  by  not  comparing  the  votes  with  the  poll  book  at 
the  close  of  the  election.  Then  comes  the  most  surpris- 
inof  chargfe  of  all:  "  We  also  consider  the  man  who  is  re- 
turned  as  chosen  captain  ineligible  to  the  office.  Firstly. 
By  giving  spirituous  liquors  to  the  voters  previous  to  the 
election.      Secondly.    On  account   of  Jiavi)ig  frequently  threat- 

**  The  writer  of  this  document,  whoever  he  may  have  been,  was  more 
certain  of  his  facts  than  of  his  orthography.  We  learn  that  "  Loranzo  " 
Carter  was  elected,  a  choice  was  "  maid  "  of  three  judges,  and  that  all 
this  occurred  in  Cleveland,  ' '  Trumble  ' '  County. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  121 


cncd  to  set  tJic  savages  against  the  inhabitants.  All  which 
charges  we  consider  proveable,  and  able  to  be  substan- 
tiated by  good  and  sufficient  witnesses.  We,  therefore, 
beg  leave  to  request  that  the  appointment  of  officers  in 
the  township  of  Cleveland  may  be  set  aside,  and  the  said 
company  led  to  a  new  choice. 

(Signed) 

"  Thadeus  Lacey.  William  W.  Williams. 

"  Rodolphus  Edwards.  Amos  Spafford. 

'' Joel  Thorp.  Robert  Carr. 

"  James  Hamilton.  Abner  Cochran." 

General  Wadsworth  mav  have  investigated  these 
charges,  but  there  is  nothing  to  show  that  he  did.  There 
was  certainly  nothing  done  toward  a  new  election,  and 
Captain  Carter  held  the  command  to  which  he  had  been 
elected  until  the  succeeding  August,  when  he  was  elected 
to  the  office  of  major  in  the  State  militia.  Viewing  the 
charges  against  him  in  the  calm  light  of  this  later  day, 
and  from  what  is  known  of  the  man,  we  must  set  down 
the  second  charge  as  the  hasty  and  ill-considered  action 
of  disappointed  men.  That  Major  Carter  may  have  been 
a  little  free  among  the  electors  with  the  products  of  the 
still  across  the  way — -he  was  an  ambitious  man,  and  those 
were  convivial  days— we  do  not  doubt ;  if  the  objectors 
had  drank  and  voted  upon  the  same  side  that  day,  we 
should  have  heard  nothing  upon  that  point.  But  that 
Lorenzo  Carter  ever,  for  a  moment,  held  an  idea  of  acting 
the  part  of  vSimon  Girty — of  inciting  the  red  man  to  deeds 
of  violence. against  the  white,  we  cannot  for  a  moment 
believe.  Just  what  action  or  ill-considered  word  may 
have  laid  the  foundation  for  this  charge,  is  not  known; 
that  it  was  more  than  a  misunderstanding,  those  who  have 
followed  the  career  of  Carter  will  not  for  a  moment  believe. 

In  the  town  meeting  of  April,  1804, — still  referring  to 
that  early  book  of  record — it  is  noted  that  a  "  town  tax  " 
of  ten  dollars  was  ordered;  and  under  date  of  April  14th 
occurs  this  entry :  ' '  The  trustees  of  the  township  of  Cleve- 
land met  at  Nathl.  Doan's  and  divided  the  township  into 


J22  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

districts  for  the  several  supervisors,  in  the  following  man- 
ner :  To  Lorenzo  Carter  the  road  leading  from  the  City  of 
Cleveland  to  Hudson,  to  Daniel  Ruker's;  and  the  road 
leading  from  sd.  citv  to  Euclid  to  the  bridgfe  near  \illcz- 
iblc\  Tillotson ;  and  to  Timothy  Doan  the  road  from  Isaac 
Tillotson's  to  the  east  line  of  the  town  of  Euclid;  and  to 
James  Kingsbury  the  road  leading  from  Nathl.  Doan's  to 
Williams'  Mills;  and  to  Thadeus  Lacy  the  road  from 
Daniel  Ruker's  leading  to  Hudson,  to  the  south  line  of 
the  Town  of  Cleaveland." 


CHAPTER   VI. 


THE    COL-XTV    OF    CUYAHOGA. 

It  had  become  recognized,  even  before  this  time,  by 
those  holding  titles  to  lands  in  the  Reserve  west  of  the 
Cuyahoga,  that  a  time  had  come  for  the  formal  and  final 
extinguishment  of  the  remaining  Indian  claims.  The 
holdings  of  the  Connecticut  Land  Company  and  of  those 
owning  the  Fire  Lands  were  alike  in  this  respect.  Nego- 
tiations looking  to  the  desired  end  were  opened,  and  an 
agreement  made  that  a  council  should  be  held  in  Cleve- 
land. The  Indians  to  the  west  of  the  river  were  not  only 
asked  to  be  present,  but  also 
those  in  New  York,  who  still 
claimed  rights  under  old  agree- 


ments. 

These  latter  sent  a  deputa- 
tion of  some  thirty  braves,  who 
duly  reached  Cleveland  in 
June,  1805,  accompanied  by 
Jasper  Parish,  their  interpreter. 
The  negotiations  were  to  be 
conducted  under  the  f riendlv  su- 
pervision  of  the  general  Govern- 
ment, which  was  represented 
by  Col.  Charles  Jewet,  while 
Gen.  Henry  Champion  looked  after  the  interests  of  the  Con- 
necticut Land  Company,  and  I.  Mills  those  of  the  Fire 
Lands  Company.  All  hands  were  prompt  in  their  attend- 
ance, except  the  western  Indians,  who  failed  to  put  in  an 
appearance.  This  action  is  said  to  have  been  due  to  the  in- 
fluence of  certain  parties  at  Detroit  and  elsewhere,  who  had 
been  endeavoring  to  obtain  rights  to  the  lands  in  question. ^'^ 

®^  Burton's  "  A  Chapter  in  the  History  of  Cleveland,"  j).  21. 


Jl'DliE    JOHN    ]!ARR. 


124  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

As  in  the  case  of  Mahomet  and  the  mountain,  the  com- 
missioners decided  to  forego  any  question  of  dignity,  and 
go  to  the  Indians  who  would  not  come  to  them.  After  a 
day  or  so  of  waiting  in  Cleveland,  all  parties  took  up  their 
march  to  the  westward.  The  council  was  formally  opened, 
some  .say  at  the  Ogontz  place,  near  Sandusky,  others 
at  Fort  Industry  on  the  Maumee.  Among  the  tribes  rep- 
resented were  the  Wyandots,  Ottawas,  Chippewas,  Alun- 
sees,  Delawares,  Shawnees,  and  Pottawattomies.  After 
some  negotiation,  the  Indians,  on  July  4th,  surrendered 
all  title  to  lands  on  the  Reserve.  A  writer  of  that  day 
says:  "  It  is  said  by  those  who  attended  this  treaty,  that 
the  Indians  in  parting  with  and  making  sale  of  the  above 
lands  to  the  whites  did  so  with  much  reluctance,  and 
after  the  treaty  was  signed,  many  of  them  wept.  On  the 
day  that  the  treaty  was  brought  to  a  close,  the  specie,  in 
payment  of  the  purchase  money,  arrived  on  the  treaty 
ground.  The  specie  came  from  Pittsburg,  and  was  con- 
veyed by  the  way  of  Warren,  Cleveland  and  the  lake 
shore  to  the  place  where  wanted.  The  treasure  was  en- 
trusted to  the  care  of  Lyinan  Potter,  Esq.,  of  Warren,  who 
was  attended  by  the  following  persons  as  an  escort :  Josiah 
W.  Brown,  John  Lane,  Jaiues  Staunton,  Jonathan  Church, 
Lorenzo  Carter,  and  another  person  by  the  name  of  Clark, 
all  resolute  men  and  well  armed.  The  money,  and  other 
property,  as  presents  to  the  Indians,  was  distributed  to 
them  the  next  day  after  the  signing  of  the  treaty.  The 
evening  of  the  last  day  of  the  treaty,  a  barrel  of  whisky 
was  dealt  out  to  the  Indians.  The  consequent  results  of 
such  a  proceeding  were  all  experienced  at  that  time."'"' 

This  attempt  at  holding  the  council  in  Cleveland  gave 
occasion  for  yet  another  prophecy  concerning  the  city 
that  has  been  fulfilled.  Prof.  Kirtland,  in  a  lecture  de- 
livered at  the  opening  of  a  term  in  the  Cleveland  Medical 
College  some  years  since,  related  the  following  incident, 

"'  These  facts  are  taken  from  the  statement  of  Abraham  Tappen,  of 
Unionville,  Ashtabula  County,  Ohio. — Whittlesey's  "  Early  History  of 
Cleveland,"  p.  403. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  123 

which  occurred  before  the  movement  towards  the  actual 
council  grounds  was  commenced :  ' '  While  waiting  their 
tardy  movements,  the  company  collected  one  afternoon  on 
the  bank  of  the  lake,  near  the  present  location  of  the  light- 
house, and  were  observing  the  descent  of  the  sun,  into  the 
broad  expanse  of  waters  at  the  west.  The  gorgeous  dis- 
plays of  light  and  shade,  heightened  by  the  brilliant  reflec- 
tions from  the  lake,  unsurpassed  by  the  brightest  scenes 
ever  exhibited  b}-  Italy's  boasted  skies,  served,  in  connec- 
tion with  concurring  circumstances,  to  add  interest  to 
the  occasion.  One  of  the  company,  the  Hon.  Gideon 
Granger  [postmaster-general  of  the  United  States],  distin- 
guished for  talents,  enterprise  and  forethought,  uttered, 
to  his  astonished  associates,  this  bold,  and  what  was  then 
deemed,  extraordinary  prediction :  '  Within  fifty  years,  an 
extensive  city  will  occupy  these  grounds,  and  vessels  will 
sail  directly  from  this  port  into  the  Atlantic  Ocean.  '-'^ 
A  prophecy  so  specific  and  decided,  coming  from  such 
a  source,  though  received  with  a  share  of  skepticism  on 
the  part  of  some,  made  a  deep  impression  on  the  great 
body  of  his  hearers." 

A  letter  dated  "  On  board  the  sloop  '  Contractor,'  near 
Black  River,  July  ;,  1805,"  directed  to  "The  Hon' 1.  Sam'l. 
Huntington,  at  the  mills  near  Cleaveland,"  and  signed  by 
AVm.  Dean,  throws  some  light  on  the  treaty,  as  follows: 
"  On  the  4th  instant,  we  closed  a  treaty  with  the  Indians, 
for  the  unextinguished  part  of  the  Connecticut  Reserve, 
and  on  account  of  the  United  States ;  for  all  the  lands  south 
of  it,  to  the  west  line.  Mr.  Phelps  and  myself  pay  about 
$7,000  in  cash,  and  about  Si 2, 000  in  six  yearly  payments, 
of  $2,000  each.  The  government  pays  $13,760,  that  is 
the   annual   interest,  to  the   Wyandots,  Delawares,  Mun- 

''  Near  the  middle  of  the  present  century,  when  Cleveland  was  at  the 
semi-centennial  mark,  a  schooner  called  the  "  Dean,"  built  by  Quayle  &: 
Martin,  of  Cleveland,  was  loaded  at  Chicago,  and  sent  straight  into  the 
Atlantic  by  way  of  the  lakes,  the  Welland  Canal,  and  the  St.  Lawrence 
River.  It  reached  Liverpool  in  safety,  and  was  there  sold.  In  1S5S,  a 
fleet  was  sent  from  Cleveland,  loaded  with  staves  and  lumber.  Six  ves- 
sels returned  in  good  shape,  with  cargoes  of  iron,  salt  and  crockery  ware. 


126  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


sees,  and  to  those  Senecas  on  the  land  forever.  The  ex- 
pense of  the  treaty  will  be  about  $5,000,  including  rum, 
tobacco,  bread,  meat,  presents,  expenses  of  the  seraglio, 
the  commissioners,  agents  and  contractors." 

A  profjosition  was  made  in  the  month  following  by 
Abraham  Tappen  and  A.  Sessions  (one  account  says 
Amos,  one  Anson,  and  one  Aaron)  to  survey  this  land, 
and  lay  it  off  into  townships.  The  same  was  accepted, 
and  work  commenced  and  pushed  forward  with  vigor. 
Five  hundred  thousand  acres  were  to  be  measured  off  on 
the  western  end  of  the  Reserve  for  the  Fire  Lands  Com- 
pany, and  the  balance  to  the  Cuyahoga  came  under  the 
contract  made  by  Tappen  and  Sessions.  They  met  at 
Cleveland  on  May  15th,  1806,  with  their  men,  chain-car- 
riers, and  pack-horses,  and  soon  entered  upon  the  work, 
which  was  successfully  pushed  to  completion. 

It  will  be  seen  from  these  increasing  references  to 
Cleveland  that  the  settlement  upon  the  Cuyahoga  was  be- 
coming a  place  large  enough  to  be  recognized  by  the 
world  at  large.  Some  events  of  local  importance  were 
placed  upon  its  record  in  this  year,  1 805 .  In  May  occurred 
the  usual  military  election,  when  Nathaniel  Doan  was 
chosen  captain ;  Samuel  Jones  "  leuf tenant ;"  and  Sylvanus 
Burk,  ensign.  A  son  of  Major  Carter,  eleven  years  of 
age,  was  drowned  at  the  mouth  of  the  river;  Samuel 
Dodge,  who  had  wedded  a  daughter  of  Timothy  Doan, 
built  himself  a  loof-cabin  on  the  Euclid  road,  and  dug 
what  is  said  to  have  been  the  first  well  in  Cleveland — 
walled  up  with  stones  which  the  Indians  had  brought  into 
the  neiofhborhood  to  use  as  backs  to  their  wigwam  fire- 
places;  at  the  fall  election,  twenty-nine  votes  were  cast 
for  State  Representative,  of  which  all  but  two  were  for 
James  Kingsbury — and  the  poll-book  was  rejected  be- 
cause the  certificate  to  the  oaths  of  the  clerks  and  judges 
was  not  attached,  nor  were  the  signatures  of  the  judges 
of  election.  We  also  find  the  first  mention  of  the  ap- 
pointment of  jurymen.  At  a  meeting  of  the  township 
trustees  in  March,  Augustus  Gilbert  and  Eliphas  Norton 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  127 

were  named  as  grand  jurymen ;  and  David  Dilly,  David 
Clark  and  Samuel  Dodge  to  serve  as  "  trabes  juries,"  as 
the  record-book  expresses  it.  The  youthful  John  Doan 
was  sent  from  "  the  Corners  "  to  school  over  in  New- 
burg,  and  afterward  confessed  plaintively  that  "  the 
wolves  howled  around  the  house  where  I  boarded,  and  I 
became  very  homesick.  I  believe  that  a  daughter  of 
'Squire  vSpafford  was  our  teacher.  There  were  soine 
twenty-five  children  attended,  and  there  were  not  enough 
books  in  the  whole  community  to  give  each  of  us  an 
outfit.  Afterwards  a  school  was  started  below  us.  but  I 
never  had  much  chance  in  it.  It  held  only  three  months 
in  the  winter  and  three  in  the  summer,  but  the  boys  were 
kept  so  busy  hoeing  corn  and  picking  up  brush  that  they 
did  not  get  much  of  a  chance  at  the  summer  term."  On 
the  1 6th  of  June  occurred  a  total  eclipse  of  the  sun,  which 
the  Indians  of  the  neighborhood  construed  into  an  expres- 
sion of  displeasure  on  the  part  of  the  Great  vSpirit,  with 
their  having  sold  to  the  white  men  the  homes  and  lands  of 
their  fathers.  The  death  of  David  Clark  is  noted;  and  it 
was  during  this  year  that  the  schooner  "  Washington," 
which  was  one  of  the  first  clearances  from  the  port  of  the 
Cuyahoga,  sailed  into  the  lake  with  crew  and  cargo,  and 
was  never  heard  of  again.  Judge  Kingsbury  put  up  the 
frame  of  a  house,  and  not  obtaining  the  lumber  from  the 
mills  at  Newburg,  erected  a  mill  of  his  own,  and  in  the 
year  following  completed  the  structure,  making,  also,  the 
brick  for  his  own  chimney.^" 

In  October,  the  village  became  the  possessor  of  a  post- 
office  of  its  own,  and  Elisha  Norton  was  appointed  post- 
master.    As  earlv  as  1801  the  mail  was  brought  to  AVar- 


"t>' 


^-  "  His  son  still  possesses  the  last  brick  made,  marked  with  the  date, 
June  22,  1807.  The  house  was  a  large,  two-story  frame,  and  is  still  stand- 
ing in  good  repair,  occupied  by  a  son,  James  Kingsbury,  then  unborn,  but 
now  an  aged  man.  It  is  probably  the  oldest  building  standing  within  the 
limits  of  the  city.  Part  of  the  upper  story  was  finished  off  in  a  large  room, 
in  which  dances  were  held,  and  also  Masonic  communications,  the  Judge 
being  a  zealous  member  of  the  mystic  order." — "History  of  Cuyahoga 
County,"  compiled  by  Crisfield  Johnson,  1S79,   P-  -i3- 


I2S  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

ren,  the  seat  of  Trumbull  County,  once  in  two  weeks,  by 
way  of  Pittsburg,  Canfield  and  Youngstown,  and  that 
was  the  terminus  of  the  mail  route  for  a  couple  of  years, 
before  it  came  on  to  Cleveland.  The  route  from  Warren 
was  by  way  of  Deerfield,  Ravenna  and  Hudson,  and  from 
Cleveland  to  Detroit  along  the  old  Indian  trail  to  San- 
dusky, Toledo,  and  so  on  to  Detroit ;  from  Cleveland  it 
went  back  to  Warren  I'ia  Painesville  and  Jefferson.  A 
collection  district  for  the  south  shore  of  the  lake  was 
also  established  this  year,  called  the  "  District  of  Erie," 
and  John  Walworth,  of  Painesville,  was  appointed 
collector. 

Postmaster  Norton  soon  relinquished  the  cares  of  office 
and  removed  to  Portage  County,  and  Mr.  Walworth  be- 
came his  successor."'  This  useful  man  and  prominent 
pioneer  was  born  in  Connecticut,  in  1765,  and  in  1800 
came  to  Ohio,  and  purchased  a  farm,  at  the  mouth  of 
Grand  River,  four  miles  north  of  Painesville.  Being  of 
education,  sound  judgment  and  good  address,  he  soon 
found  himself  one  of  the  leading  spirits  of  the  community. 
He  held  several  offices,  and  upon  his  appointment  as  col- 
lector, decided  to  remove  to  Cleveland.  He  disposed  of 
his  interests  on  the  Grand  River,  and  soon  after  made  a 
purchase  of  a  farm  of  three  hundred  acres,  between 
Huron,  Erie  and  Cross  streets,  of  the  later  day,  and  the 
Cuyahoga  River.  He  brought  his  family  here  in  1806, 
and  made  the  city  his  home  for  the  remainder  of  his  life, 
which  ended  in  18 12,  in  the  very  darkest  days  of  the  war. 
One  of  his  daughters,  afterward  the  wife  of  Dr.  David 
Long,  and  the  mother  of  Mrs.  Mary  H.  Severance,  has 
left  a  record''*  of  that  trip,  in  which  she  says:  "  My 
father,  John  Walworth,  moved  from  Cleveland  to  Paines- 
ville in  April,  1806.  We  came  up  in  an  open  boat,  which 
was  wrecked,  and  my  father  came  near  being  drowned. 

'■^  A  list  of  the  subsequent  postmasters  of  Cleveland,  with  some  interest- 
ing statistics  showing  the  immense  volume  of  business  now  handled,  will 
be  found  in  a  later  portion  of  this  work. 

■'■*■•  A  Pioneer  Father  and  Son," — "  Magazine  of  Western  History," 
Vol.  III.,  p.  662. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  i-g 

He  was  so  weak  when  he  came  out  of  the  water  that  he 
could  barely  crawl  on  his  hands  and  knees." 

His  commission  of  postmaster,  signed  by  Gideon 
Granger,  postmaster-general,  was  issued  on  October  22, 
1805.  In  addition  to  his  offices  of  postmaster  and  collect- 
or. President  Jefferson  also  appointed  him  "  inspector  of 
revenue  for  the  port  of  Cuyahoga;"  and  in  1806  Governor 
Tiffin  made  him  associate  judge  of  the  Court  of  Common 
Pleas  of  Geauga  County,  to  hold  for  seven  years,  "  if  he 
shall  so  long  behave  well."  Col.  Whittlesey  says: 
"  Judge  Walworth  at  first  occupied  the  upper  part  of  a 
frame  building  on  the  north  side  of  Superior  street,  near 
Water  street.  When  his  family  moved  from  this  building 
to  their  house  on  the  Walworth  farm,  Pittsburg  street,  a 
small  frame  office  was  erected  south  of  Superior  street, 
where  the  American  House  now  stands.  During  Judge 
Walworth's  life,  this  office  contained  the  combined  author- 
ity of  the  City,  the  County  and  the  Federal  governments. 
.Mr.  Kelley  states  that,  in  18 10,  ]\Ir.  Walworth  was  re- 
corder, clerk  of  the  Common  Pleas  and  Supreme  Court, 
postmaster,  and  collector  of  the  Cuyahoga  district.  The 
same  office  accommodated  Mr.  Kelley,  the  only  attorney 
in  the  place,  and  Dr.  Long,  the  only  physician.  During 
the  first  quarter  of  1806  the  receipts  of  the  post-office 
amounted  to  two  dollars  and  eighty-three  cents.  His  first 
clearance  (as  collector)  was  issued  to  the  schooner  '  Good 
Intent,'  which  was  soon  after  lost  on  Long  Point,  together 
with  cargo  and  crew." 

Judge  Walworth  was  public-spirited  in  many  ways,  and 
willingly  engaged  in  any  measure  that  had  in  view  the 
advancement  of  the  interests  of  his  chosen  home.  When 
the  scheme  was  originated,  in  1807,  for  the  improvement 
of  the  Cuyahoga  and  Tuscarawas  rivers,  so  as  to  give  bet- 
ter connection  between  Lake  Erie  and  the  Ohio  River, 
he  was  one  of  the  leaders  therein,  and  made  agent  and  a 
member  of  the  board  of  commissioners  that  had  it  in 
charge.  Although  he  held  several  offices  at  once,  the 
amount  of  business  in  each  was  so  small  that  he  was  not 


ijo  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


compelled  to  neglect  an}- of  them.  His  report  to  the  gov- 
ernment for  the  season  running  from  April  to  October, 
1809,  shows  that  the  total  value  of  goods,  wares  and 
merchandise  exported  from  this  country  to  Canada  was 
but  fifty  dollars.  On  the  organization  of  Cuyahoga 
County  he  was  made  clerk  of  the  court,  and  also  recorder; 
he  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  first  Masonic  lodee  in 
Northern  Ohio,  organized  in  Warren,  in  1803,  and  one  of 
its  officers ;  and  also  one  of  the  founders  of  the  institution 
■out  of  which  grew  the  Western  Reserve  College.  As  if 
these  labors  were  not  enough,  we  hear  him  enumerating 
-still  others,  in  a  letter  under  date  of  August  27,  1809, 
where  he  says:  "  The  revenue  and  post-office  afford  a 
•considerable  business,  and  in  addition  to  that  I  store  and 
sell  salt  on  commission  and  have  the  agency  of  consider- 
able land,  which  causes  me  short  journeys  frequently." 

The  appearance  of  Cleveland  proper,  as  seen  by  Judge 
Walworth  on  his  arrival,  has  not  been  described,  but  an- 
other visitor'"''  in  that  year  has  left  his  impressions :  "  I 
first  visited  Cleveland,  that  part  now  called  Newburg,  in 
August,  1806,  a  boy  of  sixteen  and  a  half  years,  and  spent 
some  ten  days  in  the  family  of  W.  W.  Williams.  • 
We  attended  meetings  in  a  log  barn  at  Doan's  Corners 
once  or  twice,  to  hear  the  announcement  of  a  new  sect, 
by  one  Daniel  Parker,  who  preached  what  he  called  Hal- 
cyonisni — -since,  I  believe,  it  has  become  extinct.  We 
bathed  together  under  the  fall  of  Mill  Creek,  gathered 
cranberries  in  the  marshes  westward  of  the  Edwards's 
place,  and  danced  to  the  music  of  Major  Samuel  Jones' 
violin  at  his  house,  afterward  the  residence  of  my  old 
friend.  Captain  Allen  Gaylord.  Judge  Huntington,  after- 
wards governor,  lived  then,  I  believe,  at  the  place  after- 
wards occupied  by  Dexter  or  Erastus  Miles.  Newburg 
street  was  opened  previously,  from  the  mill  north  to 
Doan's  Corners,  and  was  then  lined  with  cultivated  fields 
on    both    sides,    nearly    the  whole    distance    from  Judge 

'5  Letter  from  John  Harmon,  of  Ravenna,  dated  June  11,  1S60.— Whit- 
-tlesey's  "  Early  History  of  Cleveland,"   p.  42S. 


m 


f. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  iji 

Kingsbury's  to  the  mill.  But  much  dead  timber  re- 
mained on  the  fields.  There  were  some  orchards  of  apple 
trees  on  some  of  the  farms,  and  Judge  Kingsbury's 
orchard  bore  a  few  apples  that  season,  which  was  probably 
the  first  season  of  bearing.  The  Judge  had  a  small 
nursery  of  apple  trees,  and  there  was  a  larger  nursery  of 
smaller  trees  on  Mr.  Williams'  place." 

Among  the  arrivals  in  Cleveland  this  year  can  be 
counted  the  family  of  Nathan  Perry,  He  was  born  in 
Connecticut  in  1760,  but  removed  to  western  New  York, 
where  he  built  several  mills  and  cultivated  a  large  farm. 
He  came  to  Ohio  as  early  as  1796,  but  did  not  bring  his 
family  until  1806.  He  bought  one  thousand  acres  of  land, 
in  what  is  now  known  as  Lake  County,  at  fifty  cents  per 
acre.  He  also  became  the  owner  of  five  acres  in  Cleve- 
land, between  Superior  and  St.  Clair  and  Water  and  Bank 
streets,  and  also  the  tract  of  land  near  the  intersection  of 
Broadway  and  Perry  street,  afterward  known  as  the 
Horace  Perry  farm.  A  further  investment  was  made  by 
him  at  Black  River.  On  the  organization  of  Cuyahoga 
County,  in  1809,  he  was  appointed  one  of  the  court 
judges,  and  in  18 13  his  life  labors  ended. 

On  the  removal  of  Judge  Perry  to  the  west,  his  son 
Nathan,  then  a  mere  boy,  was  placed  for  a  time  in  the 
camp  of  the  great  chief,  Red  Jacket,  where  he  learned  the 
Indian  language,  and  much  else  that  gave  him  great  in- 
fluence with  the  red  men  in  later  years.  In  1804,  he  com- 
menced life  on  his  own  responsibility,  establishing  a 
trading  station  at  Black  River,  thirty  miles  west  of  Cleve- 
land. He  purchased  furs,  and  other  products  of  the 
chase,  selling  to  the  Indians  in  exchange  such  goods  as 
they  needed,  or,  as  approaching  civilization  had  taught 
them  to  want.  In  1808,  he  decided  to  make  Cleveland  his 
headquarters,  and  in  a  short  time  assumed  a  leading  posi- 
tion as  one  of  her  pioneer  merchants.  He  erected  a  com- 
bined store  and  dwelling,  after  the  manner  of  the  day,  on 
the  corner  of  Superior  and  Water  streets,  where  the  Na- 
tional Bank  building  now  stands.      In  a  few  years  a  brick 


IJ2  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


store  and  dwelling  replaced  the  old  structure,  and  was 
long  one  of  the  landmarks  of  early  Cleveland.  He  gave 
his  life  to  business,  and  had  neither  time  nor  inclination 
for  the  duties  of  public  life.  In  the  early  days  of  the  vil- 
lage charter  he  was  made  trustee,  but  returned  to  private 
life  as  soon  as  possible,  and  would  accept  no  office  there- 
after. His  later  years  were  passed  in  ease  and  comfort, 
and  he  died  on  June  24th,  1865,  leaving  one  daughter, 
the  wife  of  Hon.  Henry  B.  Payne. 

A  story  somewhat  illustrative  of  the  characteristics  of 
Lqrenzo .  Carter,  hunter,  militiaman,  tavern-keeper  and 
all-around  pioneer,  is  told  ■"'  as  happening  in  the  year 
1806,  and  as  possessing  one  element  that  did  not  enter 
into  all  the  anecdotes  told  in  early  days  of  the  redoubtable 
Major — that  of  truth.  In  the  spring,  a  canoe  in  which 
were  a  white  man,  his  wife  and  several  children  and  one 
colored  man,  was  coming  down  the  lake,  and  was  upset. 
All  were  drowned  except  the  black  man,  who  held  to  a 
tree  upon  the  bank  until  rescued  in  a  half-frozen  condi- 
tion. He  was  taken  to  Carter's,  and  cared  for  during  the 
summer,  although  so  used-up  from  the  exposure  as  to  be 
of  little  service  to  anybody.  In  the  fall  two  Kentuckians 
rode  into  Cleveland  and  claimed  the  colored  man,  Ben, 
as  a  slave,  who  had  been  enticed  away.  All  they  a.sked 
•was  an  interview,  agreeing  that  he  should  not  be  taken 
away  unless  he  consented  to  go  willingly. 

Major  Carter  expressed  his  opinion  briefly  and  to  the 
point.  He  did  not  care  much  for  colored  men,  and  had 
even  less  liking  for  the  institution  of  slavery. 

One  thing  was  certain,  however.  If  Ben  did  not  wish 
to  meet  the  gentlemen  from  Kentucky,  meet  them  he 
should  not. 

"  Finally,"  says  Mr.  Walworth,  "  it  was  agreed  that 
the  owner  and  Ben  should  see  each  other,  near  enough  to 
converse.  Ben  was  to  stand  on  the  west  side  of  the  river, 
the  owner  to  be  on  the  east  side,  near  the  end  of  Huron 

'""  Lorenzo  Carter, "  by   Ashbel  W.    Walworth.      "  Whittlesej-'s    Early- 
History  of  Cleveland,"  p.  339. 


•  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  ijj 

street.  Many  inquiries  and  answers  passed,  but  the  eon- 
versation  was  marked  by  good  feeling  on  both  sides." 
Ben  agreed  to  go  back  to  Kentucky.  "  It  would  seem 
that  the  Major  vshowed  no  dissatisfaction  to  Ben's  going 
with  his  master;  but  two  white  men,  one  called  John 
Thompson  and  the  other  Jas.  Geer,  hangers-on  at  the 
Major's  tavern,  preceded,  or  followed  and  passed  the 
Kentuckians ;  for  when  they  had  got  about  three  iniles 
from  Newburg  Alills  (then  called  Cleveland  Mills),  on 
the  old  '  Carter  road, '  they  appeared,  one  on  each  side  of 
the  road,  each  with  a  rifle ;  and  as  the  Kentuckians  and 
Ben  were  passing,  Ben  stillmounted,  one  of  the  men  says, 
'  Ben,  you  d — d  fool,  jump  off  of  that  horse  and  take  to  the 
woods.'  Ben  obeyed,  the  hunters  also  ran,  and  it  may  be 
supposed,  though  not  known,  that  the  Kentuckians  were 
somewhat  astonished.  However,  thev  never  returned  to 
tell  of  their  bad  luck."  The  escaped  slave  camped 
out  in  the  woods  for  awhile,  and  then  disappeared,  proba- 
bly across  to  Canada. 

Another  incident,  which  occurred  near  the  same  time, 
and  caused  widespread  excitement  during  a  portion  of 
1807,  came  near  to  causing  a  inore  serious  collision  be- 
tween the  whites  and  the  Indians  than  any  yet  occurring 
in  that  section.  Daniel  Diver,  of  Hudson,  was  killed  in 
the  early  winter  by  an  Indian,  named  John  Mohawk. 
Two  white  men  named  Williams  and  Darrow  set  out  upon 
a  mission  of  revenge,  and  not  finding  Mohawk,  killed  an- 
other Indian  named  Nicksau  or  Nickshaw.  When  this 
wanton  murder  of  an  innocent  man  became  known  to  the 
Senecas,  to  whose  tribe  he  belonged,  there  was  great  ex- 
citement. The  whites  demanded  Mohawk  for  punish- 
ment ;  the  red  men  quite  naturally  asked  that  Darrow  and 
Williams  should  also  be  punished.  The  great  chief 
Seneca  or  Stigwanish  {Standing  Stone)  very  aptly  stated 
the  case  when  he  declared  "  that  the  same  measure  of 
justice  should  be  dealt  out  to  Indians  and  white  men." 
In  this  case  both  sides  were  treated  alike.  No  one  was 
arrested,  and  both  crimes  went  unpunished. 


J34  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

The  fifth  and  last  division  of  the  Reserve  lands  was 
made  on  January  5th,  1S07,  the  drawing  occurring  at 
Hartford,  Conn.  The  survey  of  Brooklyn,  across  the  river 
from  Cleveland,  was  also  made,  the  lots  being  placed 
upon  the  market  for  sale. 

A  grand  scheme  of  internal  improvement  came  into 
being  in  the  same  year,  and  made  some  headway, 
although  its  object  was  in  no  sense  accomplished.  It 
was  a  season  when  improved  methods  of  travel  were 
being  quite  earnestly  discussed  in  the  east,  and  as  rail- 
roads in  their  present  methods  of  locomotion  were  un- 
dreamed of,  the  canal  and  the  natural  water  course  conse- 
quently received  great  attention.  A  proposition  had  been 
made  in  the  New  York  Legislature  for  the  survey  of  a 
canal  route  between  Lake  Erie  and  the  Hudson  River, 
and  this  was  followed  by  a  movement  in  Ohio  for  the  im- 
provement of  the  Cuyahoga  and  Tuscarawas  rivers,  as 
natural  channels  of  communication  between  Lake  Erie 
and  the  Ohio.  The  plan  proposed  was  the  clearing  of 
both  streams  of  all  obstructions,  and  the  deepening  of  the 
channels  where  necessary.  The  portage  path,  connecting 
the  two  at  their  nearest  points,  was  to  be  made  passable 
for  loaded  wagons.  Goods  were  to  be  carried  up  the 
Cuyahoga,  sent  across  from  Old  Portage  to  New  Portage 
on  the  Tuscarawas,  and  then  on  down  to  the  Ohio,  by 
way  of  the  Muskingum. 

It  was  thought  that  the  whole  plan  could  be  carried 
out  at  an  expense  of  twelve  thousand  dollars.  The  State 
Legislature  was  appealed  to,  and  readily  gave  its  sanction, 
to  the  scheme ;  not  by  taking  the  money  from  the  State 
Treasury  or  raising  it  by  taxation,  but  by  granting  per- 
mission for  a  lottery,  by  which  questionable  method  the 
needed  funds  were  to  be  raised. 

The  plan,  however,  was  a  good  one  as  viewed  by  the 
public  opinion  of  the  times.  The  best  men  of  Cleveland 
were  interested  in  its  success,  as  shown  by  the  board  of 
commissioners  having  it  in  charge,  who  were :  vSamuel 
Huntington,    Amos  Spafford,   John    Walworth,    Lorenzo 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  ijj 

Carter,  James  Kingsbury,  Turhand  Kirtland,  Timothy 
Doan,  Bezaleel  Wells,  Jonathan  Cass,  Seth  Adams,  Zac- 
chetis  A.  Beatty  and  John  Shorb.  It  was  known  as  the 
"  Cuyahoga  and  Muskingum  Navigation  Lottery,"  for 
*'  improving  the  navigation  between  Lake  Erie  and  the 
river  Ohio  through  the  Cuyahoga  and  Muskingum. ' '  The 
scheme  was  set  forth  by  the  commissioners  as  follows : 

First  Class. 
12,800  tickets  at  $5  each  $64,000. 

I  Prize  of $5, 000  is $5, 000 


2 

5 
10 

50 
100 

3-400 


2,500  5,000 

1,000  "  5,000 

500  "  5,000 

100  "  5,000 

50  " 5-000 

10  " 34,000 


3,568  $64,000 

"  Prizes  subject  to  a  deduction  of  twelve  and  a  half 
per  cent.  The  drawing  of  the  First  Class  will  commence 
at  Cleveland  on  the  first  Monday  of  January,  1808,  or  as 
soon  as  three-fourths  of  the  Tickets  shall  be  sold ;  and 
the  Prizes  will  be  paid  in  sixty  days  after  the  drawing  is 
completed. 

This  was  to  be  no  local  affair.  It  was  announced  that 
payment  of  prizes  would  be  made  in  Boston,  Hartford, 
New  York  and  Albany ;  and  also  in  Zanesville  and  Steu- 
benville,  Ohio.  John  Walworth  was  appointed  agent  for 
the  signing  of  the  tickets.  "  The  subscribers,"  say  the 
commissioners,  "  have  taken  the  Oath  and  given  the 
Bonds  required  by  Law,  for  the  faithful  discharge  of  their 
trust,  and  they  flatter  themselves  that  an  object  of  such 
extensive  importance  will  not  fail  to  attract  the  attention 
and  patronage  of  many,  who  are  not  allured  by  the  ad- 
vantageous prospects  held  out  in  the  Scheme." 

The  waterway  to  the  Ohio  was  compelled  to  remain 
in  its  unimproved  condition,  despite  the  pleasant  expecta- 
tions of  the  worthy  gentlemen  having  the  lottery  in 
charge.  The  public  did  not  purchase  tickets  as  readily 
as  had  been  expected,  and  in  all  probability  not  more  than 
one-fourth  of  those  offered  for  sale  were  taken.      The  day 


is6  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

of  drawing  was  postponed  from  time  to  time,  and  finally- 
declared  off  altogether ;  the  money  returned  to  those  who 
had  paid  it  in,  and  the  "  scheme  "  abandoned. 

Two  personal  views  we  have  of  Cleveland  in  this  year 
1807,  one  of  them  quite  brief.  The  Rev.  Dr.  S.  A.  Bron- 
son,  of  Mansfield,  told  the  early  .settlers  on  the  Cuyahoga, 
some  years  ago,  a  little  story''''  of  emigration  to  the 
west.  "At  length,"  said  he,  "we  reached  the  Cuyahoga. 
This  was  then  the  western  boundary  of  civilization.  No 
team ;  no  white  woman  but  Canadian  French,  had  as  yet 
crossed  this  river.  Our  destination  was  Columbia.  The 
township  had  been  surveyed  the  previous  summer,  and 
some  logs  had  been  rolled  up,  but  your  speaker  was  the 
first  baby,  his  mother  the  first  American  woman,  and 
ours  the  first  team,  that  crossed  the  Cuyahoga  at  Cleve- 
land." The  other  view  is  furnished  by  Thomas  D. 
Webb,  of  Warren,  who  said:  "  I  first  saw  Cleveland 
in  October,  1807.  I  put  up  for  a  day  or  two  with  Major 
Amos  Spafford,who  kept  a  tavern.  Governor  Hunting- 
ton then  lived  in  a  log-house,  standing  a  little  south  of 
Superior  street,  not  far  from  the  site  of  the  American 
House.  He  had  a  frame  barn,  in  size  thirty  feet  by  for- 
ty, near  by.  All  the  families  on  the  city  or  ten-acre  lots, 
or  the  lands  adjoining,  at  that  time,  that  I  recollect,  and 

I  think  that  1  recollect  all,  were,  Amos  Spafford, 

Gilbert,  Nathan  Perry,  Lorenzo  Carter,  Samuel  Hunting- 
ton, John  Walworth,  and  an  Irish  family  I  have  forgot- 
ten. Samuel  Dodge  had  lived  on  a  ten-acre  lot,  but  had 
at  that  time  taken  up  his  residence  at  Euclid ;  other  fami- 
lies had  resided  there  also,  but  at  the  time  I  arrived,  had 
removed.  There  were  the  remains  of  some  two  or  three 
buildings  along  the  bank  of  the  river,  one  of  which  I  was 
told  had  been  occupied  as  a  store  by  a  vScotchman,  by  the 
name  of  Alex.  Campbell." 

The  little  village  had  been  without  a  blacksmith  since 
Nathaniel  Doan  had  moved  out  to  the  east,  and  the  want 
was   supplied   in   the   person   of    Abram    Hickox,    whose 

^^  "  Annals  of  the  Early  Settlers'  Association,"  No.  10,  p.  347. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


rj? 


arrival  is  set  down  as  in  1808,^^  and  who  soon  became  a 
local  celebrity  in  his  way.  He  located  on  the  north  side 
of  Superior  street,  where  the  Johnson  House  was  after- 
wards erected ;  is  said  to  have  had  a  shop  at  one  time 
south  of  Superior,  near  Seneca  street  ;  and  afterwards 
built  a  small  smithy  at  the  corner  of  Euclid  avenue  and 
Hickox  street,  which  was  named  in  his  honor.  Over  his 
door  for  years  was  the  terse  notification :  ' '  Uncle  Abrani 
works  here,"  and  beneath  it 
— for  good  luck,  perhaps — 
the  print  of  a  horseshoe  burned 
into  the  wood.  "  Uncle 
Abram,"  writes  one'''-'  who 
knew  him  well, ' '  was  as  honest 
as  the  day  is  long,  and  a  patriot 
tried  and  true.  He  it  was  who 
on  each  Fourth  of  July,  at 
early  dawn,  would  arouse  the 
sleeping  inhabitants  with  the 
loud  and  booming  report  of 
his  anvil,  which  was  then  the  only  battery  of  artillery  of 
which  Cleveland  could  boast.  And  all  day  long  he  would 
keep  up  the  fire  along  the  line.  The  old  man  on  one  oc- 
casion met  with  quite  a  mishap,  caused  by  the  blowing-up 
of  his  powder  magazine,  which  burned  him  quite  severe- 
ly; but,  nothing  daunted,  he  obtained  a  fresh  supply, 
and  continued  his  fusillade.  Although  it  has  been  many 
long  years  since  '  Uncle  Abram  '  was  laid  to  rest,  me- 
thinks  I  see  him  still  as  he  used  to  appear  in  his  home-spun 
gray  suit,  wide-rimined  wool  hat,  steel-bowed  specs,  and 
stout  hickory  staff.  He  died  in  1845,  ^-t  a  very  advanced 
age,  and  his  remains  now  repose  in  Erie  Street  Cemetery, 
by  the  side  of  his  wife,  who  died  several  years  previous. "^ 
This  well-remembered  old  man  was  not  only  the  village 
blacksmith,   but  its  sexton  as  well,  and  for  years  super- 

^*  Mrs.  Long's  statement. — "  Whittlesey's  Early  History  of  Cleveland," 
p.  447. 

»^  "  Old  Time  Characters,"  by  O.  P.  C,  in  "Annals  of  the  Early  Settlers' 
Association,"  No.  4,  p.  46. 


UNCLE 


AHK.\M    HICKOX. 


138  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

vised    all    arrangements    for    the  burial    of    the    dead. 

A  tragedy,  that  stirred  the  little  community  to  unwont- 
ed sadness,  occurred  in  April,  1808,  when  a  boat-load  of 
people  was  wrecked  between  Rocky  River  and  Black 
River,  and  a  number  of  lives  lost.  There  have  been  sev- 
eral accounts  thereof  placed  upon  record,  and  probably 
the  most  correct,  as  it  is  certainly  the  most  circum- 
stantial, was  written  by  Q.  F.  Atkins,  an  eye-witness  to 
much  of  that  which  he  relates.^  Briefly  stated,  the  story 
runs  as  follows:  The  people  of  Cleveland  and  Newburg 
had  learned  that  there  was  an  abundance  of  ' '  yellow  cat- 
fish "  in  the  deep  waters  of  Black  River,  and  fitted  out 
a  Schenectady  boat,  or  batcaji,  for  a  fishing  expedition. 
Captain  Joseph  Plumb  was  placed  in  command,  and  in 
the  party  were  Stephen  Gilbert,  Adolphus  Spafford,  a  son 
of  the  Major,  William  Gilmore,  a  young  man  named 
White,  two  sons  of  Mr.  Plumb,  and  a  woman  named 
Mary  Billinger,  who  had  been  a  domestic  in  the  family 
of  Nathan  Perry,  vSr.,  and  was  going  to  Black  River, 
where  the  younger  Nathan  was  then  established. 

"  All  hands  went  on  board  at  Cleveland,"  to  quote  di- 
rect from  the  narrative,  "  and  rowed  the  first  afternoon, 
as  far  as  Rocky  River,  where  they  stopped  for  the  night. 
While  there,  in  overhauling  their  fishing  tackle,  they 
found  that  a  portion  of  the  rope  belonging  to  their  seine, 
and  something  else  belonging  to  it,  had  been  left  at 
Cleveland.  Young  White  and  the  two  sons  of  Captain 
Plumb  were  sent  back  to  Cleveland  for  the  missing  ar- 
ticles, confidently  expecting  to  get  back  in  time  to  get  on 
the  boat  before  it  left  Rocky  River.  For  this  purpose 
they  made  the  utmost  expedition,  not  sparing  themselves 
at  all,  lest  a  long  walk  from  one  river  to  the  other,  with 
nothing  but  an  Indian  trail  along  the  lake  shore  for  their 
guide,  should  pay  for  their  remissness." 

Upon  their  return  to  Rocky  River  they  discovered  that 

'  "Loss  of  an  Open  Boat,"  by  Q.  F.  Atkins.— "  Annals  of  Early  Set- 
tlers'Association,"  No.  9,  p.  255.  The  account  furnished  by  Col.  Whit- 
tlesey differs  from  the  above  in  several  particulars. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  ijg 

the  boat  was  gone.  They  decided  to  push  ahead,  and 
when  near  Dover  Point  discovered  an  empty  cask,  an 
oar,  and  some  other  articles  afloat  in  the  water.  A  little 
further  on,  they  came  "  to  an  inward  curve  of  the  high, 
rocky  bank,  where  they  beheld  the  wreck  of  the  boat, 
driven  in  upon  a  small  strip  of  rock  and  sand  beach, 
with  a  frowning  rock  overhanging  it,  some  sixty  or  seven- 
ty feet  high,  and  no  living  person  save  Captain  Plumb, 
to  tell  how  the  disaster  came  upon  them.  All  his  asso- 
ciates, four  in  number,  were  drowned." 

Young  White  and  Captain  Plumb's  oldest  son  hastened 
on  to  Black  River  for  help.  The  younger  son,  with  a 
courage  beyond  his  years,  climbed  a  sapling  upon  the 
bank,  bent  it  over  the  cliff  by  his  weight,  and  when  it 
was  as  low  as  it  could  go,  dropped  safely  down  upon  the 
sand  beside  his  exhausted  father.  When  the  expected 
help  arrived,  at  night,  the  two  were,  with  no  little  diffi- 
culty, drawn  to  the  bank  in  safety.  The  story  of  the 
wreck  was  soon  told — a  sudden  squall  had  upset  the  boat, 
about  a  half  mile  from  the  shore,  and  Captain  Plumb 
was  the  only  one  permitted  to  reach  a  place  of  safety. 
The  bodies  of  the  four  were  afterwards  discovered,  where 
the  waves  had  cast  them  upon  the  beach. 

It  was  in  1808  that  Major  Carter  inaugurated  the  ship 
building  industry  of  Cleveland,  by  constructing  the 
"  Zephyr,  of  thirty  fons  burthen,"  designed  for  the  lake 
trade.  This  was  followed  in  1809  by  the  launching  of 
the  "  Sally,"  a  schooner  of  five  or  six  tons,  constructed 
by  Joel  Thorp;  and  the  "Dove,"  of  about  the  same  size, 
built  by  Alex.  Simpson;  while  in  18 10,  Murray  &  Bixby 
built  the  "  Ohio,"  of  sixty  tons.  Other  lake  vessels  noted 
in  connection  with  the  early  lake  marine  were  the  "  Cuy- 
ahoga Packet,"  built  at  the  mouth  of  the  Chagrin  River, 
the  "Washington,"  the  "Harlequin,"  the  "Good  In- 
tent," the  "  Tracy,"  the  "  Wilkinson,"  the  "  Contract- 
or," the  "Adams,"  and  also  several  of  Canadian  con- 
struction. 

The  year    1809  was  in  some  respects  an  important  one 


I40  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

to  Cleveland,  not  because  of  any  great  event  ^vhicll  oc- 
curred, but  in  an  incident  here  and  there  showing  that 
it  was  gradually  losing  its  pioneer  newness,  and  approach- 
ing the  ways  of  modern  villagehood.  Thus  we  see  Col- 
lector Walworth  forwarding  his  formal  report  from  the 
port  of  Cuyahoga  to  the  Treasury  Department;  and  al- 
though the  entire  value  of  goods  exported  to  Canada 
reached  but  fifty  dollars  from  April  to  October,  there 
was  enough  to  show  that  a  beginning  had  been  made. 
A  framed  buildinsf.  to  be  used  as  an  office  bv  the  collector- 
postmaster,  was  erected  on  vSuperior  street,  and  was  re- 
garded as  a  novelty  with  metropolitan  suggestions. 

The  projection  of  a  road  to  the  westward  from  the  Cuy- 
ahoga, w^as  yet  another  event  pointing  in  the  same  direc- 
tion. The  State  Legislature  granted  an  appropriation 
for  the  opening  of  such  road  from  Cleveland  to  the  mouth 
of  the  Huron  River.  The  work  was  committed  to  the  hands 
of  Lorenzo  Carter  and  Nathaniel  Doan,  of  Cleveland, 
and  Ebenezer  Murray,  of  Mentor.  The  ridge  near  the 
bank  of  the  lake  was  naturally  selected,  and  the  highway 
thus  laid  out  was  known  as  the  Cleveland  and  Huron,  and 
afterwards  as  the  Alilan  vState  road ;  which  was  later 
changed  to  the    Detroit  road,  and  then  to  Detroit  street. 

A  mail  route  was  laid  out  between  Cleveland  and  De- 
troit. "  The  mail  was  carried,"  says  John  D.  Tay- 
lor," "  in  a  leather  satchel  by  a  man  on  foot;  I  remem- 
ber him  and  his  name — Edward  McCartnev — as  mv  fath- 
er  had  bought  land  and  lived  on  the  lake  shore  in  Dover, 
where  he  kept  a  hotel  during  the  war  of  1812,  and  where 
the  mail-carrier  was  accustomed  to  stop.  After  the  com- 
mencement of  the  war,  the  L^nited  States  mail  was  carried 
on  horseback  till  about  1820,  when  stage  coaches  carried 
it  until  superseded  by  railroad  coaches.  In  1809,  the 
whole  contents  of  the  mail  between  Cleveland  and  Detroit 
weighed  from  five  to  seven  pounds,  going  at  the  rate  of 
about    thirtv    miles    a    dav."     At    about    the  same   time 

^  "Pioneer  Life  in  Cuyahoga  County,"    by  John  D.  Taylor. — "Annals 
of  the  Early  Settlers'  Association,"  No.    ir,  p.  435. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLE  VELA  XD.  14T 

Joseph  Burke,  of  Euclid,  held  the  mail-carrying  contract 
to  the  eastward,  the  route  running  from  Cleveland  to 
Hudson.  Ravenna,  Deerfield.  Warren,  Mesopotamia, 
Windsor,  Jefferson,  Austinburg.  Harpersfield,  Painesville, 
and  thence  back  to  Cleveland.  The  tAvo  sons  of  the  con- 
tractor alternated  with  each  other  in  covering  the  route, 
going  on  horseback  in  summer  when  the  roads  permitted, 
and  on  foot  the  rest  of  the  time. 

In  this  connection  we  may  be  permitted  to  glance 
ahead  at  the  experiences  of  another  mail  agent,  Asael 
Adams,  of  Warren  ^ whose  school  in  early  Cleveland  has 
been  already  referred  to),  who  carried  the  mail  on  horse- 
back during  the  war  of  18 12  and  181  s-  two  vears.  from 
Cleveland  to  Pittsburg.  He  left  Pittsburg  everv  Fridav 
at  6:00  a.  m.  ;  arrived  at  Greersburg  by  5  :oo  p.  m. ;  left 
at  5  :30  p.  m.  ;  arrived  at  Canfield  on  Saturday  by  6:00 
p.  m.  ;  left  at  7:00  p.  m.  :  and  arrived  at  Cleveland  on 
Monday  by  io:oo  a.  m.  Then  returning,  he  left  Cleve- 
land every  ^Monday  at  2  :oo  p.  m.  ;  arrived  at  Canfield  on 
Wednesday  by  6:00  a.  m.  ;  left  at  7:00  a.  m.  ;  arrived 
at  Greersburg  the  same  day  by  6:00  p.  m. ;  left  at  7:00 
p.  m.  ;  arrived   at   Pittsburg   on  Thursday  by  6:00  p.  m. 

The  only  post-offices  between  Pittsburg  and  Cleveland, 
at  that  time,  and  at  which  he  stopped,  were  as  follows: 
Beavertowm,  New  Lisbon,  Canfield.  Deerfield.  Hartland, 
Ravenna,  Hudson  and  Gallatin;  thence  by  Aurora.  Man- 
tua. Palmyra,  Canfield.  Xew  Lisbon,  Greersburg  and 
Beavertown  to  Pittsburg,  once  a  week.  He  received  as 
salary  Si 86'^  per  quarter  of  a  year  during  the  continuance 

*  The  salary  above  mentioned  was  not  the  only  good  this  pioneer  mail- 
carrier  secured  on  his  travels.  At  Canfield,  Ohio,  he  gained  a  wife,  in 
the  person  of  Lucy  Mygatt,  whose  father  was  a  merchant  and  postmaster 
at  that  point.  Mr.  Adams  established  a  general  store  in  Warren,  in  1S14, 
and  became  one  of  the  leading  merchants  of  that  place.  In  the  early 
days  of  his  mercantile  career  his  goods,  purchased  in  New  York  City,  were 
carried  in  large  wagons  over  the  Alleghany  mountains,  by  the  way  of 
Pittsburg,  to  Warren.  Money  was  very  scarce,  and  he  sold  goods  to  the 
farmers  on  one  year's  time,  and  received  from  his  customers  wheat,  deer- 
skins, deer  horns,  scorched  salts,  horses,  cattle,  hogs,  sheep  and  hickory- 
nuts,   in  paj-ment  for  dry  goods,  drugs,   groceries  and  hardware.     The 


142  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

of  his  contract,  to  be  paid  in  drafts  on  postmasters  on  the 
route,  as  above  mentioned,  or  named  at  the  option  of  the 
Postmaster-General,  Gideon  Granger.  He  was  also  au- 
thorized as  contractor  to  carry  newspapers,  other  than  those 
conveyed  in  the  mail,  for  his  own  emolument.  Often  while 
riding  one  horse,  he  would  lead  another,  loaded  with  articles 
for  the  pioneers  from  Pittsburg.  Dense  woods  skirted 
both  sides  of  the  bad  roads  almost  the  whole  of  the  way  from 
Pittsburg  to  Cleveland.  Wolves,  bears  and  other  wild 
animals  roamed  through  these  great  forests,  and  often  in 
the  dark  nights  made  the  lonesome  journey  of  the  belated 
mail-carrier  exceedingly  unpleasant.  There  were  no 
bridges  over  the  rivers  and  streams,  which  were  often  very 
high.  He  would  fasten  the  mail  bag  about  his  shoulders 
and  swim  his  horse  over  the  swollen  rivers,  often  wet  to 
the  skin,  and  not  a  house  within  several  miles  distance. 
In  the  matter  of  population,  Cleveland  (in  1809)  lost 
one  of  its  older  residents,  and  gained  several  others  who 
were  in  every  sense  desirable  additions.  Amos  Spafford 
Avas  elected  a  member  of  the  lower  house  of  the  vState 
Legislature,  as  a  representative  from  Geauga  County,  to 
which  Cleveland  yet  belonged.  He  soon  received  the 
appointment  of  collector  of  the  new  port  of  entry  estab- 
lished on  the  Maumee  River,  and  in  the  spring  of  the 
year  following  removed  to  Perrysburg."* 

articles,  wheat,  deer-skins,  etc.,  received  by  Adams  were  sent  to  Pittsburg, 
and  sold  for  cash  and  goods.  The  scorched  salts  were  sent  in  wagons  to 
Ashtabula,  thence  to  Buffalo  by  water,  and  exchanged  for  window-glass, 
and  the  glass  brought  back  by  the  lake  and  by  wagon  to  Warren,  again 
to  be  traded  to  the  farmers.  A  large  business  for  those  days  was  trans- 
acted by  exchange,  with  but  very  little  money  in  circulation. 

•*  "  His  first  return  to  the  Government  shows  that  the  amount  of  exports, 
at  the  expiration  of  the  first  quarter,  was  three  thousand  and  thirty 
dollars.  It  consisted  of  three  thousand  dollars'  worth  of  coon,  bear  and 
mink  skins,  and  thirty  dollars'  worth  of  bear's  oil.  Major  Spafford  cul- 
tivated a  piece  of  land,  including  Fort  Meigs,  built  several  out  houses, 
and  acquired  considerable  property  here,  previous  to  the  war  (1812).  He 
was  a  man  very  much  esteemed  by  the  American  and  French  inhabitants; 
Avas,  indeed,  an  adviser  and  friend  to  all  the  early  settlers. 
He  retained  his  office  of  collector  until  1818,  when  he  died  at  his  resi- 
dence."—" Whittlesey's  Early  History  of  Cleveland,"    p.   348. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  143 

One  of  the  additions  referred  to,  came  in  the  person  of 
Stanley  Griswold,  who  remained  about  long  enough  to 
be  called  an  Ohio  man,  and  made  eligible  to  ofhce,  and 
then  passed  on  to  higher  duties.  A  citizen  of  Connecti- 
cut, he  had  been  appointed,  in  1805,  secretary  for  the 
Territory  of  IMichigan,  under  Governor  Hull,  and  col- 
lector of  the  port  of  Detroit.  Because  of  political  com- 
plications, he  resigned,  and  reinoving  to  Cleveland,  took 
up  his  residence  at  Doan's  Corners.  He  was  soon  drafted 
into  the  public  service,  and  the  township  records  for  1809 
show  his  name  as  clerk,  in  place  of  Nathaniel  Doan,  who 
had  served  for  some  years.  A  vacancy  from  Ohio  occur- 
ring in  the  United  States  Senate,  Governor  Huntington 
appointed  Mr.  Griswold  to  fill  out  the  term,  and  he  soon 
left  for  Washington. 

It  was  while  01  route  to  the  National  Capital  that  Sen- 
ator Griswold,  in  correspondence  with  a  friend/''  wrote  a 
letter  that  suggests  some  faith  in  the  future  of  Cleveland, 
with  a  thorough  understanding  of  its  drawbacks  in  the 
present.  It  is  in  response  to  an  inquiry  as  to  the  chances 
for  a  physician  in  the  infant  settlement.  "  I  have  con- 
sulted," he  says,  "  the  principal  characters,  particularly 
Judge  Walworth,  who  concurs  with  me,  that  Cleveland 
would  be  an  excellent  place  for  a  young  physician,  and 
cannot  long  remain  unoccupied.  This  is  based  more  on 
what  the  place  is  expected  to  be,  than  what  it  is.  Even 
now  a  physician  of  eminence  would  command  great 
practice,  from  being  called  to  ride  over  a  large  country, 
say  fifty  miles  each  way.  There  is  now  none  of  emi- 
nent or  ordinary  character  in  that  extent.  But  settle- 
ments are  scattered,  and  roads  new  and  bad,  which 
would  make  it  a  painful  practice.  Within  a  few  weeks 
Cleveland  has  been  fixed  upon  by  a  committee  of 
the  Legislature  as  the  seat  of  justice  for  Cuyahoga 
County.  Several  respectable  characters  will  remove  to 
that   town.     The   country    around    bids    fair    to   increase 

5  In  a  letter  to   Hon.    James  Witherell,  nnder  date  of   Somerset,   Pa., 
May  2S,  1S09, — "  Whittlesey's  Early  History  of  Cleveland,"  p.  426. 


144 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


rapidly  in  population.  A  young  physician  of  the  quali- 
fications described  by  you  will  be  certain  to  succeed, 
but  for  a  snort  time,  if  without  means,  must  keep 
school,  for  which  there  is  a  good  chance  in  winter, 
till  a  piece  of  ground,  bring  on  a  few  goods  (for  which 
it  is  a  good  stand),  or  do  something  else  in  connection 
with  his  practice." 

Another  important  arrival  this  year  was  that  of  Levi 
Johnson,  a  native  of  Herkimer  County,  N.  Y,,  who  was 
about  twenty-four  years  of  age  when  he  cast  in  his 
fortunes  with  those  of  Cleveland.  His  usefulness  and 
skill  as  a  builder  were   seen   all  about  the  city,  in  both 

public  and  private  edifices. 
He  constructed  for  himself  a  • 
loe-cabin  on  the  Euclid  road 
near  the  Public  vSquare ;  built 
the  old  log  court-house  and  jail 
combined,  on  the  northwest 
quarter  of  the  Square ;  and  also 
the  gallows  on  which  the  Indian, 
'^  O'Mic,  was  hung.  In  an  ac- 
count of  his  life,  recently  pub- 
lished by  the  association  of 
early  settlers,  we  find  this  brief 
tribute  to  his  public  usefulness : 
He  built  the  first  frame  house 
in  Cleveland,  for  Judge  John  Walworth,  where  the 
American  House  now  stands.  In  1811,  he  built  the  Buck- 
eye House  for  the  father  of  the  now  venerable  Rodol- 
phus  Edwards,  on  Woodland  Hills  avenue,  and  soon 
afterwards  several  other  houses  and  barns  in  Xew- 
burg  township.  In  1813  or  18 14,  he  built  the  schooner 
"Ladies'  Master,"  near  his  residence,  which  was 
hauled  to  the  foot  of  vSuperior  street  by  ox-teams  of 
the  cotmtry  people,  where  she  was  launched.  In  18 17, 
he  built  the  schooner  "  Neptune,"  on  the  river,  near 
the  foot  of  Eagle  street,  which  was  altogether  in  the 
woods.   In  1824,  he  built  the  first  steamboat  constructed  in 


LEVI    JOHNSON. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


145 


Cleveland,  the  "  Enterprise,"  just  below  the  foot  of  vSt. 
Clair  street.  He  sailed  on  the  lake  till  1830,  and  then 
built  the  old  stone  lighthouse  where  the  present  one  now 
stands,  and  then  the  lighthouse  at  Cedar  Point,  and  set 
the  buoys  marking  the  channel  to  and  in  Sandusky  Bay ; 
and  later  he  built  seventeen  hundred  feet  of  the  east 
government  pier  in  this  city.  Cleveland  contains  many 
other  substantial  evidences  of  his  enterprise  and  good 
judgment.      He  died  in  1871. 

One  of  the  most  noted  additions  in  the  line  of  citizen- 
ship that  early  Cleveland  ever  received  was  when  Alfred 
Kelley  appeared  upon  the  scene  in  18 10.  His  mark  iipon 
the  fortunes  of  Cleveland,  and 
the  financial  legislation  of 
Ohio,  was  broad  and  deep, 
and  to  the  benefit  of  every 
measure  to  which  he  set  his 
hand.  He  was  born  in  Mid- 
dletown,  Conn.,  on  November 
7th,  1789,  was  educated  in 
Fairfield  Academy,  New  York, 
and  afterward  read  law  in 
Whitesborough.  In  the  spring 
of  1 8 10,  when  several  months 
short  of  his  majority,  he  de- 
cided to  trv  life  and  fortune 
for  himself,  and  set  off  for  the 
far  west  of  Ohio.  The  journey  was  made  on  horseback,  and 
he  and  Dr.  Jared  P.  Kirtland  canie  in  company  with  Joshua 
Stow.  He  reached  Cleveland  at  an  opportune  time,  as 
Cuyahoga  County  had  just  taken  its  position  as  a  separate 
organization,  and  its  courts  had  been  for  the  first  time  con- 
stituted. While  Samuel  Huntington,  who  was  also  a  law- 
yer, had  preceded  Mr.  Kelley  by  some  years,  he  had  never 
entered  upon  practice  here,  so  to  all  real  intent,  Mr. 
Kelley  was  Cleveland's  first  lawyer  of  note.  He  was 
certainly  the  first  to  put  up  his  sign  in  Cuyahoga  County. 

In  the  November  term  of  court,  Peter  Hitchcock  moved 


ALFRED    KELLEY. 


146  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

that  Mr.  Kelley  be  admitted  to  practice,  and  his  name 
was  soon  upon  the  roll.  It  certainly  was  an  occasion  of 
interest  to  the  young  man,  as  it  was  the  twenty-first  an- 
niversary of  his  birth,  saw  him  become  a  member  of  a  bar, 
to  which  he  afterwards  should  lend  such  honor  and  lus- 
ter, and  also  gave  him  his  first  office,  as  he  was  immedi- 
ately made  public  prosecutor.      He  held  this  office  until 

1 82 1,  when  he  voluntarily  relinquished  it;  was  the  first 
president  of  the  incorporated  village  of  Cleveland ;  repre- 
sented Cuyahoga  County  in  the  General  Assembly,  and 
remained  in  that  position  almost  continuously  from  1 8 14  to 

1822,  when  he  became  one  of  Ohio's  canal  commissioners, 
and  entered  upon  the  greatest  labor  of  his  life.  In  1830, 
Mr.  Kelley  removed  to  Columbus;  served  again  in  the 
Legislature,  and  as  State  Fund  Commissioner  saved  the 
State — almost  entirely  through  his  own  practical  ability 
and  personal  influence — from  the  stain  of  repudiation. 
His  useful  life  was  ended  on  December  2nd,  1859.  We 
shall  see  him  again  and  again  in  the  course  of  this  narra- 
tive in  connection  with  the  great  canal  and  railroad  inter- 
ests that  did  so  much  for  Cleveland. 

There  was  a  noted  addition  to  the  population  of  Cleve- 
land in  the  medical  line  in  18 10,  almost  equal  in  importance 
to  that  of  the  law  above  mentioned.  The  suggestions  of 
Senator  Griswold  that  there  was  an  opening  for  an  able 
young  physician,  and  that  he  would  have  enough  of  hard 
work,  M'as  made  good  in  the  case  of  Dr.  David  Long,  who 
reached  here  in  June  of  the  year  above  named.  He  was 
a  native  of  Washington  County,  N.  Y.,  and  had  gradu- 
ated in  medicine  in  New  York  City.  He  was  Cleveland's 
first  resident  physician,  and  when  he  arrived  there  were  no 
physicians  nearer  than  Painesville,  Hudson,  Wooster  and 
Monroe.  His  practice  was  extensive,  and  many  illustra- 
tive and  entertaining  incidents  in  connection  therewith 
might  be  related :  ' '  Dr.  Long  was  a  public-spirited  man, ' ' 
says  his  chief  biographer,*'  "  and  interested  in  whatever 


6 


Pioneer  Medicine  on  the  Reserve,"    by    Dudley   P.    Allen,    ]M.    D. 
— "  Magazine  of  Western  History,"  Vol.  III.,  p.  2S6. 


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THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  147 

concerned  the  welfare  of  the  community.  He  was  a 
successful  candidate  for  the  office  of  county  commis- 
sioner at  a  time  when  the  location  of  the  court-house 
greatly  excited  the  interest  of  the  county.  One  com- 
missioner favored  Newburg  and  another  Cleveland, 
and  the  election  of  Dr.  Long  determined  its  location 
in  Cleveland.  He  was  engaged  in  various  business  enter- 
prises, but  a  contract  for  building  a  section  of  the  canal 
proved  to  be  an  unfortunate  business  venture,  though  it 
was  of  great  importance  to  the  commercial  interests  of 
Cleveland.  In  1836,  Dr.  Long  removed  from  Superior 
street  to  a  farm  on  what  is  now  Woodland  avenue,  but 
was  then  called  Kinsman  street.  Here  he  built  first  the 
stone  house  occupied  by  the  late  Erastus  Gaylord,  and 
afterward  the  house  still  standing  on  the  corner  of  Wood- 
land and  Longwood  avenues,  in  which  house  he  lived  till 
the  time  of  his  death,  September  i,  185  i,  at  the  age  of 
sixty-four  years." 

The  store  of  Elias  and  Harvey  Murray  became  one  of 
the  local  mercantile  features  of  this  year  (18 10);  Major 
Carter  built  a  warehouse  on  L'J'nion  lane  either  in  this 
year  or  the  one  preceding,  showing  that  business  was  grow- 
ing down  in  that  section  of  the  village ;  and  Elias  Cozad 
built  out  at  Loan's  Corners  the  first  tannery  operated  in 
Cleveland,  and  this  was  followed  by  a  like  structure 
erected  by  Samuel  and  Matthew  Williamson,  either  to- 
ward the  end  of  this  year  or  the  opening  of  181 1. 

The  record  of  18 10  can  be  ended  well  by  a  summary  of 
the  steps  by  which,  in  this  year,  Cuyahoga  Countv  be- 
came a  distinct  organization  upon  its  own  merits.  It  will 
be  remembered  that  such  part  of  the  present  county  as 
lies  east  of  the  river  was,  in  1788,  made  a  part  of  AVash- 
ington  County,  with  the  county-seat  away  down  upon 
the  Ohio,  at  Marietta.  Such  jDortion  of  the  county  as 
lies  west  of  the  river,  was  embraced  in  the  county  of 
Wayne,  created  in  1796,  with  the  seat  at  Detroit.  In 
July,  1797,  the  portion  of  the  Reserve  east  of  the  river 
became  a  part  of  Jefferson  County,  with  the  county-seat 


148  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

at  Steubenville.  When  Trumbull  County  was  organized, 
in  1800,  it  embraced  all  of  the  Western  Reserve,  includ- 
ing the  Fire  Lands,  and  the  group  of  Lake  Erie  islands  off 
Sandusky.  In  1806,  the  county  of  Geauga  was  set  off 
from  Trumbull,  and  included  the  main  portion  of  the 
present  Cuyahoga.  Huron  County  had  a  legal  existence 
in  1809.  By  an  act  of  the  legislature  of  February  loth, 
1807,  Portage,  Ashtabula  and  Cuyahoga  were  created, 
and  under  this  act  the  last  named  was  declared  to  "  em- 
brace so  much  of  the  county  of  Geauga  as  lay  west  of  the 
ninth  range  of  townships."  The  boundaries  were  fixed 
as  follows :  ' '  On  the  east  side  of  Cuyahoga  River,  all  north 
of  town  five,  and  west  of  range  nine;  on  the  west  side  of 
the  river,  all  north  of  town  four,  and  east  of  range  fifteen; 
a  space  between  ranges  fourteen  and  twenty  on  the  west ; 
and  the  County  of  Huron,  being  attached  to  Geauga  for 
judicial  purposes." 

There  was  an  alteration  in  the  line  between  Cuyahoga 
and  Huron  Counties  in  181 1,  and  when  Medina  County 
was  created  in  18 12,  another  change  in  the  western  bound- 
ary of  Cuyahoga  was  made.  When  Lorain  was  organized 
in  1824,  there  was  still  another  small  disturbance  along 
the  same  line.  The  township  of  Willoughby,  on  the 
east,  was  lost  in  1840,  when  Lake  County  was  created; 
and  in  1841  a  portion  of  Orange  township  was  annexed  to 
Geauga,  and  a  strip  of  Russell,  in  Geauga,  was  transferred 
to  Cuyahoga;  but  in  1843  the  tract  taken  from  Orange 
was  restored. 


CHAPTER    VII. 

IN    THE    TIME    OF    WAR. 

In  the  letter  of  Senator  Stanley  Griswold,  previously 
quoted,  lie  states  that  a  committee  of  the  Legislature" 
had,  in  1809,  been  charged  with  the  duty  of  locating  the 
seat  of  justice  for  Cuyahoga  County.  This  commission 
was  met  bv  the  urgent  claims  of  both  Cleveland  and 
Newburg,  which  place  last  named  had  a  population  fully 
as  large  as  her  rival,  and  was  regarded  as  the  more  health- 
ful location  of  the  two.  Cleveland  carried  the  day,  not 
so  much  because  of  present  advantages,  as  for  its  pros- 
pects in  the  future. 

The  independent  judicial  existence  of  Cuyahoga  Coun- 
ty, therefore,  commenced  in  May,  1810,  when  the  Common 
Pleas  Court  was  organized.  Hon.  Benjamin  Ruggles  was 
presiding  judge,  and  Nathan  Perry,  vSr.,  Augustus  Gilbert, 
and  Timothy  Doan,  associate  judges.  The  first  official 
staff  of  the  county  elected,  or  appointed  by  the  judges 
of  the  court,  or  otherwise,  was  as  follows: 

Prosecuting  Attorney:  Peter  Hitchcock  (of  Geauga 
County),  appointed  in  June ;  succeeded  in  November  by 
Alfred  Kelley. 

Clerk  and  Recorder:     John  Walworth. 

Sheriff :     Smith  S.  Baldwin, 

■"  Col.  Whittlesey  ("  Early  History  of  Cleveland,"  p.  368)  has  preserved 
a  copy  of  the  bill  presented  by  one  of  these  commissioners,  addressed  to 
Abraham  Tappan,  Esq. : 

"  Columbiana  County,  Ohio,  October,  1809. 
"  Dt'ir  Sir: — I  have  called  on  Mr.  Peaies  for  my  Pay  for  fixing  the 
Seat  of  Justis  in  the  county  of  Cuyahoga  and  he  informt  me  that  he  did 
not  Chit  it.  Sir,  I  should  take  it  as  a  favour  of  you  would  send  it  with 
Mister  Peaies  at  your  Nixt  Cort  and  In  so  doing  will  oblige  Your 
humble  Sarvent. — R.   B...    r. 

"  A  Leven  Days  Two  Dollars  per  day,  Twentytwo  Dollars." 


ISO  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

County  Coviiuissioncrs:     Jabez  Wright,   Nathaniel  Doan. 

Treasurer:     Asa  Dillc. 

Surveyor:     Samuel  S.  Baldwin. 

The  first  session  of  the  court  was  held  at  the  newly- 
erected  store  of  Elias  and  Harvey  Murray  on  vSuperior 
street,  which  had  not  been  occupied.  One  indictment  was 
presented  for  petit  larceny,  several  for  selling  foreign 
goods  without  license,  and  others  for  selling  whisky  to 
the  Indians.  The  session  of  the  succeeding  June  had  to 
deal  with  three  criminal  prosecutions  and  five  civil  suits. 
There  was  one  case  of  "  trespass  on  the  case  for  eleven 
hundred  white  fish  of  the  value  of  S70,  which  came  into 
the  hands  of  the  defendant  by  '  finding,'  but  who  refused 
to  give  them  up  on  demand,  and  converted  them  to  his 
own  use."  This  suit  was  laid  over  until  the  next  term, 
when  the  plaintiff  failed  to  appear,  and  it  was  dismissed. 
The  other  cases  have  been  thus  described:  "Alfred  Kel- 
ley  appears  in  the  second  case  on  the  docket,  on  behalf  of 
Ralph  ]\I.  Pomeroy  vs.  James  Leach.  Suit  on  a  note  of 
hand  dated  October  27,  1808,  '  at  Black  Rock,  to- wit,  at 
Cleveland,'  for  S80,  and  in  another  sum  of  $150.  This 
case  was  continued  one  term,  and  then  discontinued  by 
settlement.  And  now,  in  the  third  case,  the  famous  old 
pioneer,  Rodolphus  Edwards,  was  chosen  defendant  in  the 
suit  of  one  John  vS.  Reede.  It  was  an  appealed  case  from 
Justice  Erasmus  Miles'  court,  by  the  plaintiff,  the  justice 
having  decided  that  the  plaintiff  had  no  case  against  Ed- 
wards. The  plaintiff  failed  to  prosecute  his  appeal,  and 
the  old  pioneer  was  decreed  to  '  go  '  with  judgment  for 
his  costs,  $8.54.  R.  B.  Parkman  was  defendant's  attor- 
ney. The  fourth  case  was  an  action  of  ejectment  for  a 
farm  in  Euclid,  in  which  Alfred  Kelley  appeared  for  the 
heirs  of  Aaron  Olmsted,  of  East  Hartford,  Conn.,  vs. 
Richard  Fen,  and  James  Lewis,  the  tenant ;  vSamuel  W. 
Phelps,  attorney  for  defendants. '  '*^ 

At  the  November  term,  an  indictment  was  presented 

8  F.  T.  Wallace  in  "  The  Bench  and  Bar  of  Cleveland,"  Cleveland,  18S9, 
p.  21. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  13 r 


against  one  Daniel  Miner,  for  "  not  having  obtained  siieli 
license  or  permit  as  the  law  directs  to  keep  a  tavern,  or  to 
sell,  barter  or  deliver,  for  inoney  or  other  article  of  value, 
any  wine,  rum,  brandy,  whisky,  spirits  or  strong  drink 
by  less  quantity  less  than  one  quart,  did,  with  intent  to 
defraud  the  revenue  of  the  county,  on  the  25th  of  October 
last  past,  sell,  barter  and  deliver  at  Cleveland  aforesaid, 
wine,  rum,  brandy,  whisky  and  spirits  bv  less  quantity 
than  one  quart,  to-wit,  one  gill  of  whisky  for  the  sum  of 
six  cents  in  money,  contrary  to  the  statute,  etc."  To  this 
a  plea  of  guilty  was  entered,  and  was  followed  by  a  fine 
of  twenty-five  cents.  Another  indictment  against  the 
same  person  was  to  the  effect  that  with  "  men  and  horses, 
with  force  and  arms,  ferry  over  Rocky  River,"  without  a 
license,  and  for  this  offense  he  was  fined  five  dollars  and 
a  bill  for  costs. 

In  like  manner  this  early  court,  during  its  first  years  of 
existence,  saw  Ambrose  Hecox  charged  with  selling  "  one- 
half  yard  of  cotton  cambric,  six  yards  of  Indian  cotton 
cloth,  one-half  pound  Hyson  skin  tea,  without  license, 
contrary  to  the  statute  law  regulating  ferries,  taverns, 
stores,  etc ;  ' '  Erastus  Miles  prosecuted  for  selling  liquor 
to  the  Indians ;  Thomas  Mcllrath  for  trading  one  quart 
of  whisky  for  three  raccoon  skins;  and  John  S.  Reede 
and  Banks  Finch  for  engaging  in  a  "fight  and  box  at  fisti- 
cuffs." The  indictment  declared  in  solemn  form  that 
"  John  S.  Reede,  of  Black  River,  and  Banks  Finch,  of 
Huron  township,  in  said  county,  on  the  ist  day  of  Febru- 
ary, 1812,  with  force  and  arms,  in  the  peace  of  God  and 
the  State,  then  and  there  being,  did,  then  and  there  with 
each  other  agree,  and  in  and  upon  each  other  did  then 
and  there  assault  and  with  each  other  did  then  and  there 
wilfully  fight  and  box  at  fisticuffs,  and  each  other  did 
then  and  there  strike,  kick,  cuff,  bite,  bruise,  wound 
and  ill-treat,  against  the  statute  and  the  peace  and  dig- 
nity of  the  State  of  Ohio." 

From  May,  18 10,  to  May,  1814,  one  hundred  and  nine 
civil  suits  were  entered,  the  greater  number  of  them  be- 


1^2  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

ing  petitions  for  partition  of  lands,  generally  of  non-resi- 
dent heirs,  living  in  Connecticut.  In  1814,  there  was  a 
conviction  for  theft,  and  the  offender  was  sentenced  "  to 
be  taken  to  the  public  whipping-post  in  Cleveland,  and 
that  he  be  whipped  fifteen  stripes  on  the  naked  back, 
and  be  imprisoned  in  jail  ten  days  and  pay  a  fine  of  otie 
hundred  dollars."  There  is  nothing  upon  the  record  to 
show  that  this  sentence  was  carried  out.  The  memories  of 
the  oldest  settlers,  some  of  whom  have  been  recently  ques- 
tioned upon  this  subject,  fail  to  furnish  the  least  light 
upon  the  question  whether  or  not  early  Cleveland  was 
disgraced  bv  the  presence  of  this  remnant  of  bar- 
barism.^ 

There  appears  one  case  against  a  father  for  decoying 
his  son  away  before  the  expiration  of  his  term  of  appren- 
ticeship ;  a  suit  for  slander  in  1 8 1 2  ;  and  the  first  application 
for  divorce  in  18 16.  From  1820  to  1835,  but  thirty  suits 
of  this  character  were  commenced,  and  in  a  large  number 
of  cases  the  differences  were  composed  before  the  cause 
was  called  in  court.  The  only  lawyers  Avho  appear 
of  record  during  the  first  four  years  are  Thomas  D. 
Webb,  Alfred  Kelley,  Robert  B.  Parkman,  Samuel  W. 
Phelps,  Peter  Hitchcock,  John  vS.  Edwards  and  D. 
Redick. 

There  was  an  annual  session  of  the  Supreme  Court  of 
Ohio  in  the  several  counties,  under  the  early  judicial  sys- 
tem, and  the  first  session  in  Cuyahoga  was  held  in  August, 
1 8 10,  when  William  W.  Irwin  and  Ethan  A.  Brown  organ- 
ized the  Court,  and  appointed  John  Walworth  clerk.     Al- 

'*  "  But  for  the  judicial  record,  the  ancient  colonial  institution  would 
have  had  no  '  standing  '  in  court.  It  does  not  seem  to  have  developed 
into  the  dignity  of  a  fascinating  legend,  or  the  gravity  of  a  classic 
myth.  It  IS  possible,  however,  that  some  forehanded  individual,  whose 
remote  ancestors  delighted  in  whipping-posts  for  witches,  who  had  made 
his  fortune  as  a  sutler  in  the  then  late  war,  erected  a  '  post  '  somewhere 
near  the  log  court-house  in  the  Public  Square,  and  donated  it  to  the 
public,  as  elaborate  and  artistic  drinking  fountains  are  erected  and  do- 
nated in  modern  times  b}^  benevolent  millionaires,  whom  the  public 
thanks  and  blesses,  but  never  partakes  of  the  beverage." — F.  T.  Wallace 
in  "  The  Bench  and  Bar  of    Cleveland,"  p.    24. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  153 

fred  Kelley  was  admitted  to  practice  in  the  Supreme  Court. 
The  year  1 8 1 1  was  one  of  rather  humdrum  quiet,  the 
little  town  on  the  Cuyahoga  going  on  with  few  changes  or 
events  worthy  of  record.  A  pen-picture  of  Cleveland,  as 
it  appeared  toward  the  end  of  that  year  or  the  early  part 
of  1 8 12,  has  been  drawn  by  a  careful  observer^"  who 
Avas  here  at  that  time,  and  as  it  takes  the  combined  form 
of  a  verbal  map  and  a  census,  space  may  be  well  em- 
ployed for  its  reproduction.  "  The  following,  to  the  best 
of  my  recollection,"  said  he,  "  are  the  naines  of  men  who 
lived  in  what  was  then  Cleveland,  in  the  fall  of  181 1  and 
spring  of  18 12.  Possibly  a  few  names  may  be  missing. 
I  will  begin  north  of  the  Kingvsbury  creek,  on  Broadway: 
The  first  was  Maj.  Samuel  Jones,  on  the  hill  near  the 
turn  of  the  road;  farther  down  came  Judge  John  Wal- 
worth, then  postmaster,  and  his  oldest  son,  A.  W.  Wal- 
worth, and  son-in-law.  Dr.  David  Long.  Then,  on  the 
corner  where  the  Forest  City  House  now  stands,  was  a 
Mr.  Alorey.  The  next  was  near  the  now  American  House, 
Avhere  the  little  post-office  then  stood,  occupied  by  Mr. 
Hanchet,  who  had  just  started  a  little  store.  Close  by  was 
a  tavern,  kept  by  Mr.  George  Wallace.  On  the  top  of  the 
hill,  north  of  Main  street,  Lorenzo  Carter  and  son,  Lo- 
renzo, Jr..  who  kept  tavern  also.  The  only  house  below 
on  Water  street  was  owned  by  Judge  Samuel  William- 
son, with  his  family  and  his  brother  Matthew,  who  had 
a  tannery  on  the  side  hill  below.  On  the  corner  of  Water 
and  Superior  streets  was  Nathan  Perry's  store,  and  his 
brother,  Horace  Perry,  lived  near  by.  Levi  Johnson  began 
in  Cleveland  about  that  time,  likewise  two  brothers  of  his, 
who  came  on  soon  after;  Benjamin,  a  one-legged  man; 
and  I  think  the  other's  name  was  John.  The  first  and 
last  were  lake  captains  for  a  time.  Abraham  Hickox,  the 
old  blacksmith;  Alfred  Kelley,  Esq.,  who  boarded  with 
'Squire  Walworth  at  that  time;  then  a  Mr.  Bailey,  also 
Elias  and  Harvey  Murray,  and  perhaps  a  very  few  others 

'""Names  of   Early    Settlers  Whom    I    Knew,"     by  Y.   L.    Morgan. — 
■"  Annals  of  Early  Settlers'  Association,"  No.  3,  p.  67. 


1S4  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

in  town  not  named.  On  what  is  now  _Euclid  avenue,  from 
Monumental  vSquare  through  the  woods  to  East  Cleve- 
land, was  but  one  man,  Nathan  Chapman,  who  lived  in  a 
small  shanty,  with  a  small  elearing  around  him,  and  near 
the  present  Euclid  vStation.  He  died  soon  after.  Then 
at  what  was  called  Doan's  Corners  lived  two  families 
only,  Nathaniel,  the  older,  and  ^Nlaj.  Seth  Doan.  Then 
on  the  south,  now  Woodland  Hills  avenue,  first  came 
Richard  Blin,  Rodolphus  Edwards,  and  ]Mr.  Stephens,  a 
school  teacher;  Mr.  Honey,  James  Kingsbury,  David 
Burras,  Eben  Hosmer,  John  "Wightman,  William  W. 
Williams,  and  three  sons,  Frederick,  AVilliam  W.,  Jr., 
and  Joseph.  Next,  on  the  Carter  place,  Philomen  Bald- 
win, and  four  sons,  Philomen,  Jr.,  Amos,  Caleb  and 
Runa.  Next,  James  Hamilton;  then  Samuel  Hamilton 
(who  was  drowned  in  the  lake),  his  widow,  and  three  sons, 
Chester,  Justice  and  Samuel,  Jr.,  in  what  was  called  New- 
burg  and  now  Cleveland.  Six  by  the  name  of  Allies — 
Erastus,  Theodore,  Charles,  vSamuel,  Thoiupson,  and 
Daniel.  Widow  White  with  five  sons,  John,  William, 
Solomon,  Samuel,  and  Lyman.  A  Mr.  Barnes,  Henry 
Edwards,  Allen  Gaylord,  and  father  and  mother.  In  the 
spring  of  1812,  came  Noble  Bates.  Ephraim  and  Jedediah 
Hubbel,  with  their  aged  father  and  mother  (the  latter  soon 
after  died);  in  each  family  were  several  sons;  vStephen 
Gilbert,  Sylvester  Burk,  with  six  sons,  B.  B.  Burk, 
Gaius,  Erectus,  etc. ;  Abner  Cochran,  on  what  is  now 
called  ^-Etna  street.  Samuel  S.  Baldwin,  E.sq.,  was 
sheriff  and  county  surveyor,  and  hung  the  noted  Indian, 
John  O'Mic,  in  18 12.  Next,  Y.  L.  Morgan,  with  three 
sons,  Y.  L.,  Jr.,  Caleb,  and  Isham  A.  The  next,  on  the 
present  Broadway,  Dyer  Sherman,  Christopher  Gunn, 
Elijah,  Charles,  and  Elijah  Gunn,  Jr;  Robert  Fulton, 
Robert  Carr,  Samuel  Dille,  Ira  Ensign,  Ezekiel  Holly, 
and  two  sons,  Lorin  and  Alphonso,  W^idow  Clark  and 
four  sons.  Mason,  Martin,  Jarvis,  and  Rufus." 

Isham  A.  Morgan,  who,  also,  saw  Cleveland  for  the  first 
time  in   1 8 1 1 ,  has    added    some    points    of    detail    to    the 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


■•jyj 


above. ^^  "  Then  what  now  is  a  grand,  and  growing  city^ 
could  hardly  be  called  a  village.  A  few  houses  of  the 
primitive  order  located  along  Superior  street  between  the 
river  and  the  Public  Square,  with  here  and  there  a  tem- 
porarv  dwelling  in  the  bUvShy  vicinity,  gave  but  a  slight 
indication  that  it  was  the  beginning  of  a  future  large  city. 
I  remember  when  there  was  no  court  house  in  Cleveland, 
nor  a  church  building  in  Cuyahoga  County,  nor  a  bridge 
across  the  river  from  the  outlet  to  Cuyahoga  Falls.  The 
outlet  of  the  river,  at  that  time,  was  some  120  yards  west  of 
where  it  is  now(i88i),  and  was  sometimes  completely 
barred  across  with  sand  by  storms,  so  that  men  having 
on  low  shoes  have  walked  across  without  wetting  their 
feet.  A  ferry  at  the  foot  of  Superior  street,  consisting  of 
one  fiat-boat  and  a  skiff,  answered  the  purpose  to  convey 
over  the  river  all  who  desired,  for  quite  a  number  of  years. 
The  first  water  supply  for  extinguishing  fires 
in  Cleveland  was  a  public  well  eight  feet  across,  with  a 
wheel  and  two  buckets,  situated  on  Bank  street,  near  vSu- 
perior.  In  those  days  nearly  every  family  had  a  well  at 
their  back  door,  of  good  water  for  every  purpose  except 
washing.  To  supply  water  for  washing,  when  rain  water 
failed,  Benhu  Johnson,  a  soldier  of  the  war  of  18 12-14 
(who  lost  a  leg  in  the  campaign  and  substituted  a  wooden 
one),  with  his  pony  and  wagon,  supplied  as  many  as 
needed,  from  the  lake  at  twent3^-five  cents  a  load  of  two 
barrels ;  and  Jabez  Kelley  furnished  the  soap  at  a  shilling 
a  gallon,  made  at  his  log  soap  and  candle  factory,  located 
on  Superior  street,  near  the  river.  .  .  .  Where 
Prospect  street  is  now,  next  to  Ontario,  was  the 
old  cemetery,  surrounded  by  bushes  and  blackberry 
briars.  Outside  of  the  cemetery,  west,  south  and  east, 
the  forest  stood  in  its  native  grandeur.  On  Ontario 
street,  a  little  south  of  the  old  cemetery,  was  a  large 
mound,  supposed  to  be  the  work  of  the  Mound  Builders 
of  prehistoric  times.     It  stood  several  years  after  we  came, 


"  "What  I  Recollect,"  by  I.  A.  Morgan.— "Annals  of  the  Earl}-  Settlers' 
Association,"  No.  2,  p.  59;  No.  7,  p.  14;  No.  11,  p.  40S. 


^j6 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


before  it  was  made  level  with  the  surrounding  earth." 
The  year  1812  was  in  marked  contrast  to  the  one  pre- 
ceding it,  as  the  shadow  of  the  second  great  war  with 
England  fell  across  the  threshold  of  Cleveland,  and  there 
was  no  lack  of  stir,  turmoil,  apprehension,  and  danger. 
Although  actual  hostilities  never  touched  the  city,  and  no 
force  of  the  enemy  appeared  at  its  gates,  the  center  of  the 
war  upon  the  lakes  and  in  the  west  was  near  enough  to 
keep  it  in  hourly  fear,  and  to  make  the  port  of  Cuyahoga 
an  important  base  for  supplies,  and  a  point  for  the  gather- 
ing and  moving  of  troops. 

Congress,  on  the  i8th  of  June,  declared  war,  and  on 
June  28th  a  swift-riding  expressman  came  galloping  into 
Cleveland,  with  the  announcement  of  that  important  fact. 
Ten  days  of  the  most  rapid  work  of  which  horse-flesh, 
with  frequent  relays,  was  possible,  had  been  consumed  in 

carrvinof    the    news   from   the 
Potomac  to  the  Cuyahoga. 

This  news  meant  much  to 
all  this  thinly-settled  and  un- 
defended portion  of  the  west. 
The  fear  of  England  was  a 
secondary  consideration ;  but 
England  had  fostered  the 
friendship  of  the  Indians,  and 
there  was  no  telling  what  fear- 
ful havoc  might  be  wrought  by 
these  savage  allies  of  the  for- 
eign foe.  The  hope  of  regain- 
ing her  lost  colonies  had  never 
been  relinquished  by  England ; 
and  the  secret  endeavors  of 
her  diplomats  to  foment  disturbances  upon  the  western 
frontiers  of  the  United  States,  and  open  the  way  for  an 
Indian  uprising,  that  should  destroy  the  power  of  our 
government  in  these  sections,  had  much  to  do  with  the 
action  of  the  United  States  in  declaring  war. 

During  this  war,  Cleveland  became  one  of  the  important 


(;EN.     W.     \l.     HARRISON. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  157 

military  stations  of  the  lake  country.  It  was  the  place,  of 
gathering  for  the  militia  of  this  section,  whose  services 
Avere  made  use  of  by  the  government.  Fort  Huntington, 
a  small  stockade,  was  erected  on  the  shore  of  the  lake 
near  the  foot  of  Seneca  street,  and  named  after  Ohio's 
recent  governor.  Major  Jessup,  of  the  United  States 
Army,  was  in  command ;  and  the  fort  was  largely  used  as 
a  Qfuard-house  for  soldiers  who  were  under  arrest. 

The  declaration  of  war  did  not  coine  as  a  surprise,  as 
such  action  had  been  expected  for  some  time.  The  people 
were  therefore  prepared  for  action  when  the  messenger 
rode  in  with  his  news,  and  such  measures  for  defense  as 
were  possible  were  taken.  Arms  and  ammunition  were 
issued,  and  the  militia  were  drilled  in  a  manner  that  sug- 
gested service,  rather  than  muster-day.  There  was 
naturally  great  anxiety,  as  no  one  could  tell  at  what  mo- 
ment a  British  war-ship  might  anchor  off  the  harbor 
and  knock  the  little  town  to  pieces,  or  a  band  of  Indians 
creep  in  by  night  and  give  the  settlement  to  fire  and 
death. 

The  hope  of  the  settlers  pointed  in  two  directions. 
They  depended  upon  General  Van  Rensselaer,  on  the 
Niagara,  to  defend  them  toward  the  east,  and  General 
Hull,  at  Detroit,  to  guard  them  upon  the  west.  It  was 
further  believed  that  the  forces  under  these  two  leaders 
would  be  able  at  an  early  day  to  conquer  that  portion  of 
Canada  north  of  Lake  Erie,  and  thus  remove  the  main 
danger  in  that  direction.  That  hope  was  somewhat  damp- 
ened, when  a  messenger  brought  the  news  that  Hull  had 
advanced  into  Canada,  been  driven  back,  and  was  now 
endeavoring  to  hold  his  own  upon  the  American  side  of 
the  Detroit  River. 

Worse  news  was  to  follow,  and  along  in  August  came 
the  dire  intelligence  that  Hull  had  surrendered  his  entire 
force,  and  that  the  British  and  their  Indian  allies  were  al- 
ready in  possession  of  one  of  the  most  important  military 
and  civil  posts  in  the  west. 

No  one  could  tell  at  what  hour  the  successful  foe  miofht 


fSS  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

come  sweeping  along  the  south  shore  of  Lake  Erie,  upon 
a  work  of  devastation  and  death.  The  excitement  in 
Cleveland  was  naturally  at  fever  heat.  Messengers  were 
quickly  inounted  and  sent  in  all  directions  to  carry  the 
warning,  and  ask  for  aid.  One  was  sent  directly  to  General 
Wadsworth,^'-  at  Canfield,  asking  him  to  lend  such  aid  as 
the  militia  under  his  command  could  ofive.  The  manner 
in  which  the  people  received  the  news  has  been  described 
by  eye-witnesses, whom  it  is  my  privilege  to  quote  direct. 
Alfred  Kelley  ^^  says :  ' '  Information  was  received  at 
Cleveland,  through  a  scout  from  Huron,  that  a  large  num- 
ber of  British  troops  and  Indians  were  seen  from  the 
shore,  in  boats,  proceeding  down  the  lake,  and  that  they 
would  probably  reach  Cleveland  in  the  course  of  the  en- 
suing night.  This  information  spread  rapidly  through 
the  surrounding  settlements.  A  large  proportion  of  the 
families  in  Cleveland,  Newburg  (then  part  of  Cleve- 
land), and  Euclid,  immediately  on  the  receipt  of  this  news, 
took  such  necessary  articles  of  food,  clothing  and  utensils 
as  they  could  carry,  and  started  for  the  more  populous  and 
less  exposed  parts  of  the  interior.  About  thirtv  men  only 
remained,  determined  to  meet  the  enemy  if  they  should 
come,  and,  if  possible,  prevent  their  landing.  They  de- 
termined at  least  to  do  all  in  their  power  to  allay  the  panic, 
and  prevent  the  depopulation  of  the  country.  vSeveral 
ladies  of  Cleveland,  among  whom  were  Mrs.  George  Wal- 
lace, Mrs.  John  Walworth  and  Mrs.  Dr.  Long,  resolved 
not  to  desert  their  husbands  and  friends.  When  Mrs. 
Long  was  told  that  she  could  not  fight  or  forcibly  oppose 

'-"The  news  (of  Hull's  surrender)  reached  General  Wadsworth,  at 
Canfield,  on  the  22nd  of  August,  who,  without  authority  from  Governor 
Meigs  or  the  general  Government,  issued  an  order  on  the  same  day  for  the 
entire  division  to  rendezvous  at  this  place."  The  "  Trump  of  Fame" 
(of  Warren),  in  its  issue  of  September  2nd,  said:  "As  soon  as  the  news  of 
the  fall  of  Detroit  was  confirmed,  every  man  ran  to  arms ;  old  and  young, 
without  distinction  of  politics,  repaired  to  the  post  of  danger.  None 
waited  for  the  formality  of  orders,  but  every  one,  whether  exempt  from 
military  duty  or  not,  put  on  his  armor." — Western  Reserve  Historical  So- 
ciety's Tract  No.    51,  p.  116. 

'■^  Whittlesey's  "  Early  History  of  Cleveland,"  pp.  450-451. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


^59 


the  enemv,  she  replied  that  she  '  could  nurse  the  sick — 
wounded — encourage  and  comfort  those  who  could  fight; 
at  any  rate  she  would  not,  by  her  example,  encourage  dis- 
ofraceful  flight." 

Isham  A.  Morofan  ^^  adds  some  details  of  interest : 
"  One  day  the  people  at  the  mouth  of  Huron  River  dis- 
covered parties  coming  in  boats;  they  were  a  good  deal 
alarmed,  as  they  supposed  them  to  be  British  and  Indians 
to  be  let  loose  on  the  almost  defenseless  settlers.  A  courier 
was  immediately  sent  to  Cleveland  to  give  the  alarm  there. 
Major  vSamuel  Jones,  of  Cleveland,  got  on  his  horse  and 
scoured  the  country  round,  telling  the  people  to  go  to 
Doan's  Corners,  and  there  ,  would  be  a  guard  to  protect 
them  as  best  they  could.  ^ly  brother  yoked  and  hitched 
the  oxen  to  the  wagon,  as  we 
then  had  but  one  horse.  After 
putting  a  few  necessary  articles 
into  the  wagon  and  burving  a 
few  others,  all  went  to  Doan's 
Corners — East  Cleveland,  where 
most  of  the  people  in  Cleve- 
land and  vicinity  assembled. 
My  father  had  been  ill  with  a 
fever,  and  was  scarcelv  able  to 
be  about;  he  took  the  gun, 
which  had  been  brought  along, 
and  handed  it   to  mv  brother,  commodore  o.  h.  ferry. 

Y.  L.  ]\Iorgan,  who  was  a  good  shot,  and  said  to  him, 
'  If  the  Indians  come,  vou  see  that  there  is  one  less  to  eo 
away !  '  That  night  was  spent  in  expectatioQ  not  the  pleas- 
antest.  A  few  men  had  stayed  in  Cleveland,  to  watch  de- 
velopments there.  In  the  morning.  Captain  Allen  Gaylord 
was  seen  approaching  the  encampment,  Avaving  his  sword, 
and  saying,  '  To  your  tents,  oh  Israel  I  General  Hull  has 
surrendered  to  the  British  general,  and  our  men,  instead  of 
Indians,  were  seen  off  Huron.     They  are  returning  to  their 

'■*  "  Incidents   in  the  Career  of  tlie  ^lorgan  Family,"  by  Isham  A.  Mor- 
gan.— "Annals  of  theEarly  Settlers'  Association,"  No.  5,  p.  26. 


i6o  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

homes. '  Thankful  were  all  that  it  turned  out  with  them  to  be 
nothing  worse  than  the  inconvenience  of  fleeing  from  their 
homes  on  short  notice  under  unpleasant  circumstances. 

While  the  refugees  were  gathering  out  at  Doan's  Cor- 
ners, a  little  band  of  men  were  down  at  Cleveland,  deter- 
mined to  meet  the  foe  with  such  resistance  as  they  could 
offer.  When  night  came  on  they  posted  sentinels  along 
the  water  front,  and  lay  down  to  rest,  but  were  soon 
awakened  by  an  alarm  that  a  vessel  was  approaching. 

The  men  sprang  to  their  arms,  and  lined  up  along  the 
landing-place,  ready  to  answer  the  first  sign  of  an  attack. 
A  challenge  was  shouted  from  the  shore,  and  back  came 
the  response,  "  We  are  paroled  prisoners  of  Hull's  army!  " 

The  army  of  defense  became  a  committee  of  welcoine, 
and  the  troops  were  brought  ashore,  and  cared  for.  vSome 
of  them  were  suffering  from  wounds,  and  were  car- 
ried up  to  the  still  vacant  Murray  store  on  Superior  street, 
which  was  turned  into  a  temporary  hospital. 

Two  companies  of  militia  were  ready  for  service  within 
the  present  limits  of  the  city,  one  hailing  from  Cleveland 
and  one  from  Newburg.  The  Clevelanders  mustered 
about  fifty  men,  each  being  uniformed  in  his  citizen's 
suit,  and  armed  with  his  own  rifle  or  shotgun,  whatever 
the  make.  In  a  few  months  the  company  disbanded,  sub- 
ject to  call.      The  full  company  roll  is  here  given: 

Captain  :     Harvey  Murray. 

Lieutenant :     Lewis  Dille. 

Ensign  :     Alfred  Kelley. 

Sergeants :  Ebenezer  Green,  Simeon  Moss,  Thomas 
Hainilton,  Seth  Doan. 

Corporals:  James  Root,  John  Lauterman,  Asa  Dille, 
Martin  G.  vShelhouse. 

Dniniiner :      David   vS.   Tyler. 

Fifer :     Rodolphus  Carlton. 

Privates :  Aretus  Burk,  Allen  Burk,  Charles  Brandon, 
John  Bishop,  Moses  Bradley,  Silas  Burk,  Sylvester 
Beacher,  James  S.  Bills,  John  Carlton,  Mason  Clark,  An- 
thony Doyle,  Luther  Dille,  Samuel  Dille,  Samuel  Dodge, 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  i6i 

Moses  Eldred,  Samuel  Evarts,  Ebenezer  Fish,  Zebulon 
R.  S.  Freeman,  Robert  Harberson,  Daniel  vS.  Judd,  Jack- 
son James,  John  James,  Stephen  King,  Guy  Lee,  Jacob 
Mingus,  Thomas  Mcllrath,  William  McConkey,  Samuel 
Noyes,  David  Reed,  John  Sweeney,  Parker  Shadrick, 
Luther  Sterns,  Bazaleel  Thorp,  John  Taylor,  Thomas 
Thomas,  Hartman  VanDuzen,  Joseph  Williams,  Matthew 
Williamson,  John  Wrightman,  William  White,  Joseph 
Burk,  Robert  Prentice,  Benjamin  Ogden. 

A  somewhat  similar  company  was  organized  in  New- 
burg,  under  the  command  of  Captain  Allen  Gaylord, 
whose  Scriptural  admonition  to  the  fugitives  at  Doan's 
Corners  has  been  noted  alreadv. 

General  Wadsworth  ^^  made  immediate  response  to 
the  request  for  help  that  frightened  Cleveland  had  sent 
him.  He  ordered  all  the  militia  of  his  division  into  the  field,, 
and  on  August  23rd  left  Canfield  for  the  lake  shore, escorted 
by  a  company  of  horsemen.  He  came  by  way  of  Hudson, 
Bedford  and  Newburg,  and  reached  Cleveland  on  the 
afternoon  of  the  24th,  receiving  a  most  hearty  welcome. 

With  him  came  Elisha  Whittlesey,  who  so  long  repre- 
sented one  of  the  districts  of  the  Reserve  in  Congress,  and 
also  Benjamin  Tappen,  another  prominent  man  of  his  day, 
both  of  whom  were  Wadsworth's  aids.  Col.  Lewis  Cass 
reached  Cleveland  from  Detroit  on  the  same  even- 
ing, and  his  denunciation  of  Hull's  surrender  was 
expressed  in  terms  of  the  inost  vehement  anger.  He 
was  then  cii  route  to  Washington,  and  was  accom- 
panied upon  his  journey  by  Ex-Governor  Huntington, 
who  had  ridden  over  from  his  home  in  Painesville,  and 
met  these  other  distinguished  gentlemen  in    Cleveland. 

'5  Elijah  Wadsworth  was  born  at  Hartford,  Conn.,  on  November  4th, 
1 747.  He  served  in  the  Revolutionary  War  with  honor,  coming  out  with  the 
title  of  captain.  In  1S02,  he  removed  to  Canfield,  Ohio,  where  he  owned 
considerable  land.  In  1S04,  he  was  made  major-general  of  the  Fourth  Divis- 
ion Ohio  Militia,  embracing  the  northeastern  part  of  the  State.  He  rendered 
loyal  service  to  his  country  in  the  War  of  1812,  and  died  at  Canfield  on 
December  30th,  181 7.  General  Wadsworth  built  the  first  frame  house 
in  Canfield.  At  Litchfield,  Conn.,  he  built  the  house  in  which  Dr.  Lyman 
Beecher  afterwards  lived,  and  in  which  Henrv  Ward  Beecher  was  born. 


i62  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


Mr.  Huntington  carried  to  the  war  department  a  letter 
from  General  Wadsworth,  in  which  he  described  the  situ- 
ation in  this  section,  and  set  forth  his  needs.  He  in- 
formed the  Secretary  of  War  that  he  had  called  out  three 
thousand  men ;  was  in  need  of  arms,  equipments,  ammu- 
nition and  rations,  and  asked  for  immediate  aid;  but,  like 
the  proiupt  man  he  was,  did  not  sit  idle  and  wait  for  a 
response.  He  appointed  three  commissioners,  whose 
b)usiness  it  was  to  purchase  food  and  forage  from  the 
people,  giving  certificates  in  return,  which  were  based 
upon  the  future  good  faith  of  the  government. 

Toward  the  end  of  August,  an  accession  of  force  came 
in  the  person  of  General  Simon  Perkins,'"  who  was  ac- 
'Companied  by  quite  a  body  of  militia.  He  was  sent  to  the 
Huron  River,  with  a  thousand  men,  with  orders  to  protect 
the  people,  and  build  block-houses  where  needed.  Gen- 
eral R.  Beall  was  also  dispatched  in  the  same  direction, 
with  another  body  of  troops ;  while  Wadsworth  soon  fol- 
lowed with  the  greater  part  of  his  remaining  force. 

When  General  William  Henry  Harrison  took  com- 
mand in  the  northwest,  General  Perkins,  at  the  head  of 
some  five  hundred  men,  was  stationed  near  the  mouth  of 
the  Huron  River,  and  before  long  came  in  conflict  with  a 
force  of  British  and  Indians,  and  fought  the  engagement 
inown  in  Ohio  history  as  the  "  Battle  of  the  Peninsula." 
Soldiers  from  the  Cuyahoga  were  engaged,  and  one 
member  of  the  Cleveland  company — James  S.  Hills,  was 
killed,  and  two  others  wounded. 

Only  a  small  guard  was  on  duty  at  Cleveland  during 
the  quiet  that  accompanied  the  winter  of  1 8 12- 13.      With 

'"  Simon  Perkins  was  a  prominent  figure  in  the  early  history  of  the  Re- 
serve, and  his  sons  have  been  in  later  years  counted  among  the  best  and  most 
useful  citizens  of  this  quarter  of  Ohio.  He  was  born  on  September  17th, 
1 771,  at  Lisbon,  Conn.,  of  one  of  the  best  known  Puritan  families  of  New  Eng- 
land. He  was  a  surveyor  by  profession,  and  in  1798  came  to  Ohio  in  the 
interests  of  the  Connecticut  Land  Company,  and  remained  as  its  agent  at 
Warren  until  the  final  winding  up  of  its  affairs  in  1S31.  He  filled  many 
offices  of  trust,  and  gave  good  service  as  a  general  of  the  Ohio  Militia  in  the 
War  of  1812.  He  died  in  November,  1844.  He  was  the  father  of  Joseph 
Perkins,   of  Cleveland,  and  of  Jacob  and  Henry  B.  Perkins,  of  Warren. 


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THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  163 

the  spring  came  Major  Jessup,  of  the  regular  army,  who 
took  command  at  this  point.  A  company  of  regular  troops 
under  command  of  Captain  Stanton  vSholes  arrived  in  May 
of  this  year;  and  under  his  orders  a  plain,  but  substantial, 
hospital  was  erected.  It  was  also  at  this  time  that  Fort 
Huntington,  already  referred  to,  was  constructed.  It  was 
built  of  logs  some  twelve  feet  long,  that  were  sunk  into 
the  ground  three  or  four  feet ;  the  sides  of  those  adjoin- 
ing each  other  being  hewed  down  for  a  few  inches,  thus 
fitting  them  solidly  together.  This  formed  a  good  de- 
fense against  small  arms,  while  dirt  was  heaped  up  against 
the  outside,  to  deaden  the  effect  of  heavier  missiles.  Trees 
and  brush  were  next  cut  and  piled  along  the  side  toward 
the  lake,  making  a  long  abatis  very  difficult  to  scale. 

Captain  Sholes,  in  the  later  days  of  peace,  after  his 
country  had  passed  through  its  war  with  Mexico,  and  was 
upon  the  verge  of  the  most  terrible  conflict  of  all — in  1858, 
when  87  years  of  age — penned  an  account  of  his  recep- 
tion in  Cleveland  on  May  loth,  1813,  when  his  company 
of  regulars  marched  into  the  city.  "  I  halted  my  com- 
pany," said  he,  "  between  Major  Carter's  and  Wallace's. 
I  was  here  met  by  Governor  Meigs,  who  gave  me  a  most 
cordial  welcome,  as  did  all  the  citizens.  The  Governor 
took  me  to  a  place  where  my  company  could  pitch  their 
tents.  I  found  no  place  of  defense,  no  hospital,  and  a 
forest  of  large  timber  (mostly  chestnut),  between  the  lake, 
and  the  lake  road.  There  was  a  road  that  turned  off  be- 
tween Mr.  Perry's  and  Major  Carter's  that  went  to  the 
point,  which  was  the  only  place  that  the  lake  could  be 
seen  from  the  buildings.  This  little  cluster  of  build- 
ings was  all  of  wood,  I  think  none  painted.  There  were 
a  few  houses  further  back  from  the  lake  road.  The  widow 
Walworth  kept  the  post-office,  or  Ashbel,  her  son.  Mr. 
L.  Johnson,  Judge  Kingsbury,  Major  Carter,  N.  Perry, 
Geo.  Wallace,  and  a  few  others  were  there.  At  my  ar- 
rival I  found  a  number  of  sick  and  wounded  who  were  of 
Hull's  surrender,  sent  here  from  Detroit,  and  more  com- 
ing.    These  were  crowded  into  a  log-cabin,  and  no  one  to 


i64  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

care  for  them,  I  sent  one  or  two  of  my  soldiers  to  take 
care  of  them,  as  they  had  no  friends.  I  had  two  or  three 
good  carpenters  in  my  company,  and  set  them  to  work  to 
build  a  hospital.  I  very  soon  got  up  a  good  one,  thirty 
by  twenty  feet,  smoothly  and  tightly  covered,  and  floored 
with  chestnut  bark,  with  two  tier  of  bunks  around  the 
walls,  with  doors  and  windows,  and  not  a  nail,  or  screw, 
or  iron  latch  or  hinge  about  the  building.  Its  cost  to  the 
Government  was  a  few  extra  rations.  In  a  short  time  I 
had  all  the  bunks  well  strawed,  and  the  sick  and  wound- 
ed good  and  clean,  to  their  great  joy  and  comfort,  but 
some  had  fallen  asleep.  I  next  went  to  work  and  built  a 
small  fort,  about  fifty  yards  from  the  bank  of  the  lake,  in 
the  forest.  This  fort  finished,  I  set  the  men  to  felling 
the  timber  along  and  near  the  bank  of  the  lake,  rolling  the 
logs  and  brush  near  the  brink  of  the  bank  to  serve  as  a 
breastwork.  On  the  19th  of  June,  a  part  of  the  British 
fleet  appeared  off  our  harbor,  with  the  apparent  design  to 
land.  When  they  got  within  one  and  a  half  miles  of  our 
harbor,  it  became  a  perfect  calm,  and  they  lay  there  till 
afternoon,  when  a  most  terrible  thunderstorm  came  up, 
and  drove  them  from  our  coast.  We  saw  them  no  more 
as  enemies.  Their  object  was  to  destroy  the  public  or 
government  boats,  then  built  and  building,  in  the  Cuya- 
hoga River,  and  other  government  stores  at  that  place.  "^'^ 
The  war  vessels  to  which  Captain  Sholes  refers  were 
the  "Lady  Provost,"  the  "Queen  Charlotte, "  ^^  and 
several  smaller  vessels.  Had  an  attempt  been  made  to  land, 
the  city  was  prepared  to  make  a  valiant  defense ;  as  each 

''  From  a  letter  to  John  Barr,  secretary  of  the  Cuyahoga  County  Histori- 
cal Society,  under  date  of  July,  1858. — Whittlesey's  "  Early  History  of 
Cleveland,"  p.  442. 

'^  The  following  note  concerning  these  vessels  is  from  the  pen  of  Hon. 
O.  J.  Hodge :  ' '  The  following  loth  of  September  these  two  vessels  composed 
a  part  of  the  British  force  under  Captain  Robert  H.  Barclay,  in  the  mem- 
orable naval  battle  when  Oliver  H.  Perry  gained  his  great  victory.  Both 
were  captured  in  that  fight.  After  the  war,  the  '  Lady  Provost,'  in  1S15, 
was  sold  to  a  Canadian  merchant,  and  for  many  years  did  service  in  the 
carrying  trade  of  the  lakes.  The  '  Queen  Charlotte,'  after  the  war,  was 
sunk  for  preservation  in  Misery  Ba}^  but  some  years  later  was  raised, 
fitted  out,  and  sailed  as  a  merchantman  on  the  lakes." 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  i6s 

man  who  could  muster  a  gun  saw  that  it  was  well  loaded, 
and  hastened  to  the  water  front.  There  was  one  small  can- 
non in  the  place,  and  for  lack  of  a  better  carriage,  it  was 
swung  upon  the  hind  wheels  of  a  wagon,  and  loaded 
ready  for  business.  The  battle  was  never  fought,  as  for 
once  the  sudden  squalls  for  which  Lake  Erie  is  famous 
sprang  up,  and  drove  the  enemy  away. 

A  visit  from  General  Harrison,  on  a  tour  of  inspection, 
was  one  of  the  events  of  the  midsummer.  He  w^as  accom- 
panied by  his  staff,  among  whom  were  Governor  Hunting- 
ton, Major  George  Tod,  Major  Jessup,  and  Col.  Wood. 
He  was  cordially  received  by  the  people,  and  remained 
but  three  days,  when  he  returned  to  headquarters  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Maumee.  When  Cominodore  Perry  passed 
up  Lake  Erie,  just  before  that  memorable  battle  that  won 
him  such  glorious  fame,  and  broke  the  British  power  in 
the  northwest,  his  fleet  lay  off  the  mouth  of  the  Cuya- 
hoga, while  he  paid  a  visit  to  the  shore.  Only  a  few 
weeks  later,  the  people  along  the  lake  shore  heard  the 
deep  roar  of  his  guns  in  the  still  September  air.  Be- 
fore long  came  the  glad  tidings  that  have  made  the  loth 
of  September,  1813,  a  glorious  day  in  the  annals  of  our 
country.  When  Harrison  won  the  battle  of  the  Thames 
in  October,  he  and  Perry  came  down  the  lake  together,  ett 
route  for  Buffalo,  and  visited  Cleveland  on  the  way.  They 
were  entertained  at  a  banquet  while  here,  and  the  Ma- 
sons of  all  this  neighborhood  met  them  in  special  session, 
out  at  the  hospitable  home  of  Judge  Kingsbury.  Al- 
though peace  was  not  formally  declared  until  1 8 1 5 ,  the  war 
was  at  an  end  so  far  as  Cleveland  was  directly  concerned. 

Returning  once  more  to  the  quiet  ways  of  peace,  w^e 
find  that  Cuyahoga  County,  having  come  into  possession 
of  a  court  of  her  own,  felt  the  need  of  a  suitable  struc- 
ture in  which  the  judiciary  and  the  executive  officers  could 
be  properly  housed.  A  contract  w^as  therefore  made  be- 
tween the  county  coinmissioners  and  Levi  Johnson,  for 
the  erection  of  a  court-house  and  jail  on  the  northwest 
corner  of  the  Public  Square.      This  work  was  commenced 


j66 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


in  1 8 1 2 ,  but  was  not  completed  until  the  summer  of  the 
succeeding  year.  The  building  was  of  wood,  two  stories 
high,  with  a  jail  and  living  room  for  the  sheriff  on  the 
ground  floor,  and  a  court  room  above.  It  was  in  this 
little  building  that  justice,  according  to  the  high  Cuyahoga 
standard,  was  administered  for  some  fifteen  years. 

It  was  not  ready,  however,  for  either  the  trial  or  incar- 
ceration of  the  first  man,  white  or  red,  tried  for  murder, 
and  executed,  in  Cuyahoga  County. 

There  was  one,  O'Mic,^"  or  Poccon,  the  son  of  O'Mic, 
who  committed  murder  for  gain,  and  was  compelled  to 
pay  the  penalty,  under  the  laws  of  Ohio.  A  daughter  of 
Judge  John  Walworth,  who  knew  him  as  a  boy,  says  that  he 

' '  was  not  a  bad  Indian 
towards  the  whites. 
When  we  were  chil- 
dren at  Painesville, 
we  used  to  play  to- 
gether on  the  banks 
of  the  Grand  River, 
at  my  father's  old 
residence,  which  we 
called  Bloomingdale." 
A  story  is  told  on  the 
authority  of  a  niece 
of  Major  Carter,  that  when  young  John  was  near  six- 
teen years  of  age,  he  entered  the  Carter  garden  with- 
out permission,  and  began  to  help  himself  to  the  veget- 
ables. He  was  ordered  away  by  Mrs.  Carter,  but  in- 
stead of  going,  whipped  out  a  knife  and  chased  her 
around  the  house,  leaving,  only  when  a  stalwart  young 
man  appeared  upon  the  scene  and  drove  him  away. 

"*  There  is  some  question  as  to  this  young  Indian's  name.  Col.  Whit- 
tlesey, quoting  Hon.  Elisha  Whittlesey,  calls  him  simply  O'Mic,  and  the 
same  form  is  used  in  the  court  records,  with  the  name  Jo/i}i  prefixed. 
Mrs.  Julianna  Long  also  calls  \vin\  John  O  \Mic.  The  "  History  of  Cuyahoga 
County"  says  John  Oil!  H\  In  his  "Pioneer  Medicine  on  the  Western 
Reserve,"  Dr.  Dudley  P.  Allen  declares  that  his  name  was  Poccon; 
that  he  "  was  about  twenty-one  years  old,  and  the  son  of  old  O'Mic." 


_FIRST    COURT    HOUSE    AND    JAIL. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  167 

It  is  needless  to  add  that  when  the  redoubtable  Major 
came  home  and  heard  this  story,  he  set  out  in  instant 
search  of  the  young  rascal,  as  he  was  the  last  man  in 
Cleveland  to  allow  a  deed  of  that  kind  to  go  unpunished. 

He  went  to  the  Indian  headquarters,  on  the  other  side 
of  the  river.  It  is  said  that  he  put  a  rope  in  his  pocket, 
with  the  declaration  that  he  would  hang  the  offender  if 
he  caught  him — which  story  has  a  suggestion  of  prophecy, 
if  true,  as  Carter  was  the  chief  instrument  of  O'Mic's  exe- 
cution, some  years  later.  As  that  may  be,  the  father  of  the 
boy  was  so  impressed  by  the  Major's  visit,  and  the  remarks 
he  made  over  there,  that  a  promise  was  given  that  young 
John  should  be  kept  on  the  western  shore  of  the  river,  and 
it  is  further  said  that  the  next  trip  that  he  made  across 
the  river,  was  when  on  his  way  to  trial  and  punishment. 

The  crime  for  which  he  was  executed  was  committed 
near  Sandusky  City,  Huron  County  then  being  attached 
to  Cuyahoga  for  judicial  purposes.  Two  white  trappers, 
named  Buel  and  Gibbs,  were  murdered  in  their  sleep  and 
their  traps  and  furs  stolen.  Three  Indians  were  arrested 
for  the  deed;  one  of  them  escaped  by  suicide,  and  an- 
other was  let  go  because  of  his  vouth.^*^  The  third  was 
young  O'Mic,  who  was  brought  to  Cleveland  and  turned 
over  to  Major  Carter,  who  tied  him  to  a  rafter  in  his 
house,  in  the  absence  of  a  jail. 

The  crime  was  committed  on  April  3d,  1812,  and  the 
trial  occurred  in  the  same  month.  The  court  sat  in  the 
open  air,  at  the  corner  of  Water  and  Superior  vStreets, 
under  the  shade  of  a  protecting  tree.  Alfred  Kelley  was 
prosecuting  attorney;  Peter  Hitchcock  counsel  for  the 
defense.       The     court    records '^^     further  show   that   the 

^^  This  mercy  was  ill-requited.  ' '  The  boy  was  considered  as  forced  into  par- 
ticipation by  the  others,  and  was  suffered  to  escape,  and  lived  to  be  the  ring- 
leader of  two  others  in  the  murder  of  John  Wood  and  George  Bishop,  west  of 
Carrying  River,  in  1816,  forwhich  they  were  all  executedin  Huron  County. " 
— Statement  made  by  Seth  Doan,  in  1841. — Whittlesey's"  Early  History 
of  Cleveland,"  p.  436. 

^'  Volume  A,  Records  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Ohio  for  the  County  of 
Cuyahoga,  is  replete  with  pioneer  history.  It  includes  the  records  of  the 
court  from  April,  1S12,  to  August,  1824. 


i68  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

judges  of  court  were  William  W.  Irvin  and  Ethan  Allen 
Brown;  sheriff,  Samuel  S.  Baldwin;  grand  jurors,  Asa 
Smith,  Hezekiah  King,  Horatio  Perry,  Calvin  Hoadley, 
Lemuel  Hoadley,  Plinney  ^Mowrey,  James  Cudderbach, 
John  vShirtz,  Benjamin  Jones,  Jeremiah  Everitt,  Samuel 
Miles,  Jacob  Carad,  and  Harvey  Murray.  The  petit  jurors 
were  Hiram  Russell,  Levi  Johnson,  Philemon  Baldwin, 
David  Bunnel,  Charles  Gunn,  Christopher  Gunn,  Samuel 
Dille,  Elijah  Gunn,  David  Barret,  Dyer  Shearman, 
William  Austin,  and  vSeth  Doan. 

The  indictinent  charsfed  O'^Mic  Avith  the  murder  of 
Daniel  Buel,  the  criine  being  committed  "  with  a  certain 
Tomahawk,  made  of  iron  and  Steele."  The  trial  was  of 
short  duration;  the  verdict  "  guilty;"  and  the  sentence 
of  death  fixed  for  the  26th  of  June  following. 

Many  accounts  have  been  written  of  this  pioneer  exe- 
cution which  vindicated  before  the  red  man  the  strong 
power  of  the  white  man's  law;  an  event  which  may  well 
be  classed  as  one  of  the  inost  dramatic,  in  all  its  incidents 
and  surroundings,  of  any  that  have  happened  in  the  valley 
of  the  Cuyahoga.  No  account  yet  penned  has  so  well 
told  the  story  as  that  of  Elisha  Whittlesey,"  who  w^as  an 
eye-witness,  and  speaks  from  personal  knowledge.  I 
repeat  his  story  in  full : 

"After  his  conviction,  O'Mic  told  Mr.  Carter  and  Sher- 
iff Baldwin  ('  who  was  froin.  Danbury),  that  he  would 
let  the  pale  faces  see  how  an  Indian  could  die ;  that  they 
need  not  tie  his  arms,  but  when  the  time  came  he  would 
jump  off  from  the  gallows.  Before  Mr.  Carter's  house, 
in  the  direction  of  Superior  street,  was  an  open  space, 
somewhat  extensive,  and  covered  with  grass.  The  re- 
ligious exercises  were  held  there.  Several  clergymen 
were  present,  and  I  think  the  sermon  was  delivered  by 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Darrow,  of  Vienna,  Trumbull  County.  The 
military  were  commanded  by  jSlajor  Jones,  a  fine-looking 
officer  in  full  uniform,  but  he  was  in  the  condition  that 
Captain  McGuffy,  of  Coitsville,  said  he  was  when  he  was 

"'  "  Execution  of  (3'Mic,  June  24th,  1S12,"    by   the  Hon.  E.  Whittlesey. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  169- 

cotnmanded  to  perform  an  evolution  by  his  company  and 
could  not  do  it.  His  explanation  was,  '  I  know  Baron 
Steuben  perfectly  well,  but  I  cannot  commit  him  to 
practice.' 

"  O'Mic  sat  on  his  coffin  in  a  wagon  painted  for  the  oc- 
casion. He  was  a  fine-looking  young  Indian,  and  watched 
evervthinof  that  occurred  with  much  anxiety.  The  gal- 
lows  was  erected  on  the  Public  vSquare  in  front  of  where 
the  old  court  house  was  erected.  After  the  religious 
services  were  over,  Major  Jones  endeavored  to  form  a  hol- 
low square,  so  that  the  prisoner  should  be  guarded  on  all 
sides.  He  rode  backwards  and  forwards  with  drawn 
sword,  epaulets,  and  scabbard  flying,  btit  he  did  not  know 
what  order  to  give.  The  wagon  with  O'Mic  moved  ahead 
and  stopped ;  but  as  the  Sheriff  doubted  whether  he  was 
to  be  aided  by  the  military,  he  proceeded  onward.  Major 
Jones  finally  took  the  suggestion  of  some  one,  who  told 
him  to  ride  to  the  head  of  the  line,  and  double  it  round 
until  the  front  and  rear  of  the  line  met.  Arriving  at  the 
gallows,  Mr.  Carter,  the  vSheriff  and  O'Mic  ascended  to 
the  platform  by  a  ladder.  The  arms  of  the  prisoner  were 
loosely  pinioned.  A  rope  was  around  his  neck  with  a 
loop  in  the  end.  Another  was  let  down  through  a  hole 
in  the  top  piece,  on  which  was  a  hook  to  attach  to  the 
rope  around  the  neck.  The  rope  with  the  hook  was 
brought  over  to  one  of  the  posts,  and  fastened  to  it  near 
the  ground. 

"After  some  little  time,  Mr.  Carter  came  down,  leaving 
O'Mic  and  Sheriff  Baldwin  on  the  platform.  As  the 
Sheriff  drew  down  the  cap,  O'Mic  was  the  most  terrified 
being,  rational  or  irrational,  I  ever  saw,  and  seizing  the 
cap  with  his  right  hand,  which  he  could  reach  by  bending 
his  head  and  inclining  his  neck  in  that  direction,  he 
stepped  to  one  of  the  posts  and  put  his  arm  around  it. 
The  Sheriff  approached  him  to  loose  his  hold,  and  for  a 
moment  it  was  doubtful  whether  O'Mic  would  not  throw 
him  to  the  ground.  Mr.  Carter  ascended  to  the  platform 
and  a  negotiation  in  regular  diplomatic  style  was  had.     It 


I70  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

was  in  the  native  tongue,  as  I  understood  at  the  time. 
Mr.  Carter  appealed  to  O'Mic  to  display  his  courage,  nar- 
rating what  he  had  said  about  showing  pale  faces  how  an 
Indian  could  die,  but  it  had  no  effect.  Finally,  O'Mic 
made  a  proposition,  that  if  Mr.  Carter  would  give  him 
half  a  pint  of  whisky  he  would  consent  to  die.  The 
whisky  was  soon  on  hand,  in  a  large  glass  tumbler,  real 
old  Monongahela,  for  which  an  old  settler  would  almost 
be  willing  to  be  hung,  if  he  could  now  obtain  the  like. 
The  glass  was  given  to  O'Mic  and  he  drank  the  whisky 
in  as  little  time  as  he  could  have  turned  it  out  of  the  glass. 
Mr.  Carter  again  came  down,  and  the  Sheriff  again  drew 
down  the  cap,  and  the  same  scene  was  re-enacted,  O'Mic 
expressing  the  same  terror.  Mr.  Carter  again  ascended 
to  the  platform,  and  O'Mic  gave  him  the  honor  of  an  In- 
dian, in  pledge  that  he  would  not  longer  resist  the  sen- 
tence of  the  court,  if  he  should  have  another  half  pint  of 
whisky.  Mr.  Carter,  representing  the  people  of  Ohio 
and  the  dignity  of  the  laws,  thought  the  terms  were  rea- 
sonable, and  the  whisky  was  forthcoming  on  short  order. 
The  tumbler  was  not  given  to  O'Mic,  but  it  was  held  to 
his  mouth,  and  as  he  sucked  the  whisky  out,  vSheriff  Bald- 
win drew  the  rope  that  pinioned  his  arms  more  tightly, 
and  the  rope  was  drawn  down  to  prevent  the  prisoner  from 
going  to  the  post,  and  to  prevent  him  from  pulling  off  his 
cap.  The  platform  was  immediately  cleared  of  all  but 
O'Mic,  who  run  the  ends  of  his  fingers  on  his  right  hand 
between  the  rope  and  his  neck.  The  rope  that  held  up 
one  end  of  the  platform  was  cut,  and  the  body  swung  in 
a  straight  line  towards  the  lake,  as  far  as  the  rope  permit- 
ted and  returned,  and  after  swinging  forth  and  backward 
several  times,  and  the  weight  being  about  to  be  suspend- 
ed perpendicular  under  the  center  of  the  top  of  the  gal- 
lows, the  body  turned  in  a  circle  and  finally  rested  still. 
At  that  time  a  terrific  storm  appeared  and  came  up  from 
the  north  northwest  with  great  rapidity,  to  avoid  which, 
and  it  being  doubtful  whether  the  neck  was  broken,  and  to 
accomplish  so  necessary  part  of  a  hanging,  the  rope  was 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  171 

drawn  down  with  the  dcvsign  of  raising  the  body,  so  that, 
by  a  sudden  relaxing  of  the  rope,  the  body  would  fall 
several  feet,  and  thereby  dislocate  the  neck  beyond  any 
doubt;  but  when  the  body  fell,  the  rope  broke  as  readily 
as  a  tow  string  and  fell  upon  the  ground.  The  coffin  and 
grave  were  near  the  gallows  and  the  body  was  picked  up, 
put  into  the  coffin,  and  the  coffin  immediately  put  into  the 
grave.  The  storm  was  heavy  and  all  scampered  but 
O'Mic.  The  report  was,  at  the  time,  that  the  surgeons 
at  dusk  raised  the  body,  and  when  it  lay  on  the  dissect- 
ing table,  it  was  easier  to  restore  life  than  to  prevent  it." 

There  is  a  second  chapter  to  this  story — brief,  but  ex- 
pressive. There  were  several  physicians  present  at  the 
execution,  from  various  sections  of  the  Reserve.  At 
night,  with  the  tacit  consent  of  the  Sheriff,  they  visited 
the  Public  Square,  and  came  away  with  a  bundle  they  had 
not  carried  there.  "  The  skeleton  was  placed  below  a 
spring,  on  the  bank  of  the  lake,  east  of  Water  street," 
writes  a  descendant -■^  of  one  of  these  medical  gentle- 
men, "  and  remained  there  for  about  one  year,  after 
which  time  it  was  properly  articulated.  The  skeleton 
was  for  a  long  time  in  the  possession  of  Dr.  Long,  but 
was  later  in  Hudson  in  the  office  of  Dr.  Town.  From 
there,  it  was  supposed,  it  was  carried  to  Penn,  near  Pitts- 
burg, to  Dr.  Murray,  a  son-in-law  of  Dr.  Town.  The 
writer  has  made  every  effort  to  discover  its  whereabouts 
and  restore  the  bones  to  Cleveland,  which  should  be  their 
proper  resting  place,  but  all  efforts  to  this  end  have 
proved  fruitless." 

The  meetings  of  the  electors  of  Cleveland  township 
had  hitherto  been  held  at  private  residences,  but  with  the 
completion  of  the  court-house,  the  gatherings  were 
within  its  more  commodious  quarters,  and  the  record 
book  proudly  carries  the  entry,  "  at  the  court-house." 

A  glimpse  at  a  pioneer  moving,  and  at  Cleveland  in  the 
summer   of    18 13,    is   afforded   by   a  member  of  a  family 

-3  "  Pioneer  Medicine  on  the  Western  Reserve,"  by  Dudley  P.  Allen, 
M.  D.— "  Magazine  of  Western  History,"  Vol.  III.,  p.  2S6. 


172  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

which  had  decided  to  make  its  home  in  this  section. 
"  In  1811,  my  grandfather,  Jacob  Russell,"  says  the  nar- 
rator,-■*  "  vsold  his  farm  and  grist-mill  on  the  Connecti- 
cut River,  and  took  a  contract  for  land  in  Newburg 
(now  Warrens ville),  Ohio.  His  oldest  son,  Elijah,  my 
father,  shouldered  his  knapsack,  and  came  to  Ohio  to  get 
a  lot  surveyed ;  he  made  some  improvements,  selected  a 
place  for  building,  and  then  returned  to  New  York,  where 
he  lived.  In  the  spring  of  the  following  year,  he,  with 
his  brother  Ralph,  came  again  to  Ohio,  cleared  their  piece 
of  land,  planted  corn,  built  a  log-house,  and  went  to  Con- 
necticut to  assist  in  moving  the  family  to  their  new 
home,  which  was  accomplished  in  the  autumn  of  the  same 
year.  They  formed  an  odd  procession;  father's  brother, 
Elisha,  and  brother-in-law,  Hart  Risley,  accompanied 
them  with  their  families ;  the  wagons  were  drawn  by 
oxen,  my  father  walking  all  the  way  so  as  to  drive,  while 
grandmother  rode  on  horseback.  When  they  were  as 
comfortably  settled  as  might  be,  father  returned  to  his 
family,  whom  he  moved  the  next  summer,  18 13,  embark- 
ing at  Sackett's  Harbor,  N.  Y.,  August  ist,  and  arriving 
at  Cleveland,  August  3  ist.  There  being  no  harbor  at  that 
time,  the  landing  was  effected  by  means  of  row-boats. 
We  then  pulled  ourselves  up  the  bank  by  the  scrub-oaks, 
which  lined  it,  and  walked  to  the  hotel  kept  by  Major 
Carter;  this  hotel  was  then  the  only  frame  house  in 
Cleveland." 

^■*  "  Reminiscences,"    by  Melinda  Russell.— "  Annals  of  the   Early  Set- 
■llers'  Association,"  No.  4,  p.  65. 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

THE    INCORPORATED    VILLAGE    OF    CLEVELAND. 

The  year  1814  was  by  no  means  one  of  moment  in  a 
local  sense,  although  it  saw  Newbnrg  set  np  as  a  township 
upon  its  own  responsibility,  and  steps  taken  toward  the 
incorporation  of  Cleveland  as  a  village.  Her  claim  to 
this  distinction  lay  in  the  fact  that  she  possessed  a  total 
of  thirty-four  dwelling  houses  and  places  of  business — 
one  of  these  being  a  brick  store,  the  first  of  its  kind, 
erected  by  J.  R.  and  Irad  Kelley.  It  was  also  becoming 
well  known  as  a  ship-building  point,  which  fact  was  em- 
phasized somewhat  by  the  means  taken  by  Levi  Johnson 
to  get  his  schooner  "  Pilot  "  down  to  the  water.  That  he 
might  be  near  his  base  of  timber  supplies,  he  laid  the  keel 
in  the  woods,  on  the  Euclid  road,  near  the  present  site 
of  the  Opera  House,  and  when  finished,  found  it  necessa- 
ry to  drag  it  a  half  mile  to  the  water.  Unlike  Robinson 
Crusoe,  however,  he  had  figured  all  the  ways  and  means 
in  advance.  He  sent  for  his  friends  in  the  country  round- 
about, and  they  came  with  their  oxen,  twenty-eight  yoke 
in  all,  placed  rollers  under  the  structure,  and  soon  had  it 
safe  and  sound  at  the  foot  of  Superior  street,  where  it 
gracefully  slid  off  into  the  water. 

Something  was  done  in  the  way  of  schools',  a  little  in 
advance  of  anything  yet  recorded.  We  find  traces  of  sev- 
eral centers  of  pioneer  teaching  in  the  neighborhood,  the 
most  important  of  which  was  that  kept  by  the  Rev. 
Stephen  Peets,  who  is  remembered  not  so  much  because 
of  his  teaching,  as  from  the  fact  that  he  gave  an  enter- 
tainment that  stirred  the  entire  social  nature  of  the  set- 
tlement. Mr.  Morgan,  to  whose  wonderful  memory  and 
vivid  descriptions  I  already  owe  so  much,  informs  us 
that    this    event    occurred    at    the    log-house    of   Samuel 


174  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

Dille,"^  "  on  the  road  from  Newburg  to  Cleveland,  now 
Broadway,  where  you  first  get  a  view  of  the  river  from  the 
high  land."  It  was  a  large  structure  for  those  days,  and 
had  a  spacious  upper  rooin,  running  the  whole  length  and 
breadth  of  the  house.  "  There,"  he  adds,  "  the  people 
of  Newburg  and  Cleveland  assembled  and  witnessed  the 
performance  of  the  '  Conjurer  '  taken  from  the  Columbian 
Orator;  the  '  Dissipated  Oxford  Student,'  also  taken  from 
the  same  book;  '  Brutus  and  Cassius,'  taken  from  the 
American  Preceptor ;  and  several  other  pieces.  The  vari- 
ous parts  were  conceded  by  the  critics  there  to  have 
been  performed  in  admirable  style."  He  then  gives  us 
a  pen-picture  of  some  of  the  difficulties  of  pioneer  travel : 
"  After  the  performance,  my  father,  mother,  two  sisters 
and  myself  returned  home,  a  distance  of  a  mile  and  a 
half  on  the  faiuily  horse.  Two  adults  and  three  plump 
children,  six  to  twelve  years  of  age,  might  now  be  con- 
sidered a  rather  large  load  to  carry,  and  five  on  a  horse, 
as  may  be  supposed,  would  now  render  a  cavalcade  some- 
what uncouth  in  appearance  on  the  streets  of  Cleveland." 
The  township  of  Newburg  was  organized  on  the  15th 
of  October  of  this  year,  18 14,  embracing  within  its  limits 
the  residences  of  a  number  of  important  citizens,  among 
whom  were  James  Kingsbury,  Rodolphus  Edwards,  and 
Erastus  Miles.  A  little  over  two  months  later,  on  Decem- 
ber 23rd,  Cleveland  made  a  point  against  its  rival,  by  se- 
curing from  the  general  assembly  the  passage  of  an  act 
"  To  incorporate  the  Village  of  Cleveland  in  the  County 
of  Cuvahoga."  The  boundaries  of  this  new  vil- 
lage  were  described  as  "so  much  of  the  city  plat  of 
Cleveland,  in  the  township  of  Cleveland,  and  County  of 
Cuyahoga,  as  lies  northwardly  of  Huron  street,  so-called, 
and  westwardly  of  Erie  street,  so-called,  in  said  city  plat 
as  originally  laid  out  by  the  Connecticut  Land  Company, 
according  to  the  minutes  and  survey  and  map  thereof  in 
the  office  of  the  recorder  of  said  County  of  Cuyahoga." 

^5  "  Incidents  in  the  Career  of  the  Morgan  Family,"  by  I.  A.  Morgan. — 
"  Annals  of  the  Early  Settlers'  Association,"  No.  5,  p.  28. 


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ijb  THE  HISTORY  OT   CLEVELAND. 

In  accordance  with  this  law,  twelve  of  the  male  in- 
habitants of  Cleveland  met  on  the  first  Monday  of  June, 
1815,  and,  by  a  unanimous  vote,  elected  Cleveland's  first 
village  official  staff,  as  fallows : 

President :  Alfred  Kelley. 

Recorder :   Horace  Perry. 

Treasurer  :   Alonzo   Carter. 

Marshal :   John   A.    Ackley.-*^ 

Assessors  :   George  Wallace  and  John  Riddle. 

Trustees  :  Samuel  Williamson,  David  Long  and  Nathan 
Perry,  Jr. 

Alfred  Kelley  held  his  position  as  Cleveland's  first 
President  less  than  a  year,  when  he  resigned,  and  was 
succeeded  by  his  father,  Daniel  Kelley,  on  IMarch  19th, 
1 8 16;  and  at  the  annual  meeting  in  June  of  that  year,  the 
latter  was  unanimously  continued  in  the  office,  which  he 
held  until  18 19.  The  elder  Kelley  was  formerly  a  resi- 
dent of  Lowville,  New  York,  and  served  as  president 
judge  of  the  Common  Pleas  Coiirt  of  Lewis  County;  was 
one  of  the  founders  of  Lowville  Academy,  and  a  useful 
citizen  in  many  public  ways. 

The  office  of  president,  from  Mr.  Kelley 's  term  in  18 19 
tip  to  the  adoption  of  the  city  charter  and  election  of  the 
first  Mayor  in  1836,  was  filled  as  follows:  In  1820, 
Horace  Perry  was  elected;  Reuben  AVood  succeeding 
him  in  1821.  From  the  latter  year  until  1825,  Leonard 
Case  filled  the  position ;  but  failing  to  qualify  on  his 
election  in  the  year  last  named,  the  recorder,  Eleazur 
Waterman,  became  president  ex  ojficio.  There  is  a  blank 
in  the  record-book  from  1825  to  1828,  and  an  examina- 
tion of  the  files  of  the  "  Cleaveland  Herald  "  for  those 
years,  fails  to  show  that  an  election  had  been  held. 
The  probability  is  that  Mr.  Waterman  continued  to  fill 
both    the    office  of    recorder  and    president    until    1828, 

26  Whittlesey,  in  "Early  History  of  Cleveland,"  and  the  "History  of 
Cuyahoga  County,"  coinpiled  by  Crisfield  Johnson,  both  give  JoJin  A. 
Acklcy.  Judge  Griswold,  in  his  "  Corporate  Birth  and  Growth  of  Cleve- 
land," from  which  we  have  before  quoted,  gives  the  name  a.'A  John  A.  Kel- 
ley.    A  reference  to  the  original  record  proves  that  Ackley  is  correct. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  177 

when  he  was  eompelled  to  resign  because  of  ill-health,  re- 
sulting from  an  accident.  The  next  entry  shows  that  on 
May  30th,  the  trustees  appointed  Oirson  Cathan,  president, 
and  D.  H.  Beardsley,  recorder.  Mr.  Cathan  was  a  well- 
known  painter,  and  was  married  to  a  daughter  of  Lorenzo 
Carter.  The  office  was  then  filled  as  follows:  1829,  Dr. 
David  Long;  1830  and  183 1,  Richard  Hilliard;  1832,1833, 
1834  and  1835,  John  W.  Allen.  From  the  twelve  votes  cast 
for  Mr.  Kelley  in  1815,  Cleveland  had  grown  to  a  total  of 
one  hundred  and  six  votes  for  Mr.  Allen  in  1835.  With 
the  close  of  Mr.  Allen's  term,  the  old  regime  came  to  an 
end,  and  Cleveland  entered  upon  her  career  as  a  city. 

Returning  now  to  the  newly  incorporated  Village  of 
Cleveland,  we  see  the  trustees  holding  a  meeting  in  Oc- 
tober (181 5),  at  which  a  number  of  streets  were  laid  out, 
on  the  petition  of  John  A.  Ackley,  Aaron  Olmstead, 
Daniel  Kelley,  Thompson  Miller,  Matthew  Williamson, 
Amasa  Bailey,  William  Trimble,  Levi  Johnson,  Joseph 
R.  Kelley,  Stephen  Dudley,  John  Randall,  Hiram 
Hamter,  and  Ashbel  W.  Walworth.  After  the  streets 
are  designated  by  the  numbers  of  the  lots,  the  record 
continues : 

"  And  it  is  further  ordered  the  said  several  streets  in 
said  petition,  mentioned  and  described,  shall  be  severally 
distinguished,  known  and  called  by  the  following  names, 
to- wit:  The  first,  in  said  petition  mentioned,  shall  be 
called  '  St.  Clair  Street,'  the  second  'Bank  Street,'  the 
third  '  Seneca  vStreet,'  the  fourth  '  Wood  vStreet,'  the 
fifth  '  Bond  Street,'  the  sixth,  '  Euclid  Street,'  the  sev- 
enth, '  Diamond  Street.-"'  " 

■'  "  Diamond  street  "  was  the  designation  of  the  streets  on  the  four 
sides  of  the  Public  Square.  Judge  Griswold  comments  as  follows: 
"  Euclid  street  was  then  established  from  the  Square  to  Huron  street,  the 
space  between  that  point  and  the  old  middle  highway  being  in  the  town- 
ship. That  street  in  the  early  days,  and  for  a  long  time  afterwards,  was 
by  no  means  a  popular  highway.  Stretching  along  the  southerly  side  of 
the  ridge,  it  was  the  receptacle  of  all  the  surface  waters  of  the  region  about 
it,  and  during  much  of  the  time  was  covered  with  water,  and  for  the  rest 
of  the  year  was  too  muddy  for  ordinary  travel. " — "Annals  of  the  Early 
Settlers'  Association,"  No.  5,  p.  44. 


i-jS  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

In  the  January  following,  A.  W.  Walworth  was  ap- 
pointed corporation  clerk,  and  it  was  officially  ordered 
that  the  "  said  clerk  shall  not  issue  any  amount  of  bills 
greater  than  double  the  amount  of  the  funds  in  his 
hands. ' '  The  main  points  of  village  legislation  up  to  1 836, 
may  be  briefly  chronicled :  In  1816,  it  was  ordered  that 
a  tax  of  one  half  per  cent,  be  laid  on  all  the  lots  in  the 
township;  in  18 17,  that  "the  several  sums  of  money  which 
were  by  individuals  subscribed  for  the  building  of  a 
school-house,  in  said  village,  shall  be  refunded  to  the  sub- 
scribers;" in  June,  18  18,  the  first  recorded  ordinance  was 
passed,  declaring  that  "  if  any  person  shall  shoot  or  dis- 
charge any  gun  or  any  pistol  within  said  village,  such  per- 
son so  offending  shall,  upon  conviction,  be  fined  in  any  sum 
not  exceeding  five  dollars,  nor  under  fifty  cents,  for  the 
use  of  said  village. ' '  A  number  of  ordinances  were  passed 
in  1820,  among  which  the  following  may  be  enuiuerated: 
Forbidding  swine  running  at  large  or  butchering  within 
the  city  limits,  except  under  certain  regulations;  mak- 
ing it  necessary  to  obtain  the  consent  of  the  authorities 
before  any  show  could  be  given ;  forbidding  horse-racing 
and  fast  driving;  making  a  penalty  for  the  running  of 
geese  at  large  ;  and  others  of  a  like  character.  In  1823,  an 
ordinance  was  passed  regulating  the  planting  of  shade 
trees  in  the  streets;  in  1825,  a  tax  of  one-fourth  per  cent, 
was  laid  on  all  village  property,  and  a  new  enumera- 
tion of  property  given;  in  the  same  year,  Canal,  Michi- 
gan, a  part  of  Seneca,  and  Champlain  streets,  were  offi- 
cially laid  out;  in  1828,  a  tax  of  two  mills  per  dollar  was 
ordered.  Of  course,  all  these  things  were  not  done  with- 
out objection  and  grumbling  from  tax-payers,  as  human 
nature  was  the  same  sixty  years  ago  that  it  is  to-day. 
We  find  the  following  illustrative  incident  in  a  biog- 
raphy of  the  late  N.  E.  Crittenden: 

"  In  his  early  days  in  Cleveland,  he  was  chosen  one  of 
the  village  trustees.  In  1828,  when  he  held  that  office, 
and  Richard  Hilliard  was  president  of  the  board,  the 
members  gathered  one  afternoon  in  an  oifice  and  voted  an 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  jjg 

appropriation  of  two  hundred  dollars,  to  put  the  village 
in  proper  order.  Great  was  the  outcry  at  this  wasteful- 
ness, on  the  part  of  the  taxpayers.  One  of  the  old  citi- 
zens, who  yet  lives,  met  Mr.  Crittenden  and  wanted  to 
know  what  on  earth  the  trustees  could  find  in  the  villaQfe 
to  spend  two  hundred  dollars  on." 

The  year  1829  saw  the  purchase  of  Cleveland's  first 
fire  engine.  It  was  bought  of  the  American  Hydraulic 
Company,  at  an  expense  of  two  hundred  and  eighty-five 
dollars.  The  .same  year  saw  the  establishment  of  a  mar- 
ket, and  the  passage  of  an  ordinance  regulating  the  same ; 
and  also  the  return  of  a  large  delinquent  tax-list.  In 
1830,  a  village  seal  was  ordered;  it  was  decided  that  the 
stalls  of  the  market  must  be  disposed  of  by  lease ;  and  a 
tax  of  one-half  mill  on  the  dollar  ordered  on  all  city  prop- 
erty. In  1 83 1,  Prospect  street,  from  Ontario  to  Erie,  was 
laid  out.  It  was  at  first  named  Cuyahoga  street,  but  be- 
fore the  entry  was  officially  made  the  name  was  changed 
to  Prospect.  James  L.  Conger  was  appointed  prosecuting- 
attorney,  at  a  salary  of  thirty  dollars  per  annum ;  and 
Silas  Belden,  street  and  house  inspector,  at  the  same 
sum.  Both  of  these  offices  were  abolished  in  1832.  In 
the  last-named  year,  Dr.  David  Long  and  O.  B.  Skinner 
were  appointed  a  committee  to  purchase  a  village  hearse, 
harness  and  bier.  In  fear  of  the  approach  of  cholera,  a 
board  of  health  was  appointed,  con.sisting  of  Dr.  Cowles, 
Dr.  ^lills,  Dr.  St.  John,  vS.  Belden,  and  Ch.  Denison,  to 
which  Dr.  S.  J.  Weldon  and  Daniel  Worley  were  after- 
wards added.  In  July,  a  tax  of  two  mills  on  the  dollar 
was  ordered.  In  1833,  River  street  was  laid  out  from  Su- 
perior street  to  Union  lane,  and  Meadow,  Lighthouse, 
and  Spring  streets  were  also  designated.  A  second  fire 
engine  was  purchased,  at  an  expense  of  seven  hundred 
dollars.  In  1834,  a  large  number  of  new  streets  were 
laid  out. 

This  rapid  rcsuinc  covers  the  chief  points  of  legislation 
by  the  incorporabsd  village ;  meanwhile,  the  township  of 
Cleveland,  covering  the   outside  portions,   w^as  pursuing 


i8o 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


the  even  tenor  of  its  way,  and  in  its  records  we  meet  many 
names  that  afterwards  became  of  no  small  prominence  in 
the  history  of  Cleveland. 

In  June,  1817,  the  trustees  of  the  township  met  for  the 
purpOvSe  of  devising  some  means  for  the  increase  of  reve- 
nue, and  relief  was  secured  by  levying  a  tax  of  fifty  cents 
on  each  horse  in  the  township,  and  half  that  sum  on  each 
head  of  horned  cattle.  Many  entries  are  found,  showing 
that  various  parties  had  been  notified  to  leave  the  town- 
ship, ere  they  should  become  a  charge  upon  the  public. 
The  township  tax  in    1821  amounted  to  $86.02.      P.    M. 

Weddell  was  chosen  one  of 
the  overseers  of  the  poor, 
and  on  refusal  to  serve  was 
compelled  to  pay  a  fine.  The 
indentures  of  apprentices  are 
entered  quite  frequently,  one 
of  them  distinctly  stating: 
' '  He  will  cause  the  said  mi- 
nor to  be  taught  to  read  and 
write,  and  so  much  of  arith- 
metic as  to  include  the  single 
rule  of  three,  and  at  the  ex- 
piration of  said  time  of  serv- 
ice, to  furnish  the  said  minor  with  a  new  Bible,  and  at 
least  two  suits  of  common  w^earing  apparel."  An- 
other specified  that  one,  Elizabeth,  should  be  taught  to 
read  and  write,  and  the  first  four  rules  of  arithmetic,  and 
at  the  expiration  of  her  service  be  given  "one  feather  bed 
and  necessary  bedding,  one  milch  cow,  one  new  Bible, 
and  two  suits  of  wearing  apparel . ' '  There  was  no  scramble 
for  office,  even  as  late  as  1827,  when  this  entry  is  found: 
"  Be  it  remembered  that  Leonard  Case  and  Samuel  Cowles, 
declining  to  serve  as  overseers  of  the  poor,  after  being 
duly  elected  for  the  township  of  Cleveland  for  1827,  paid 
their  fines  according  to  the  requisition  of  the  statutes. 
Accordingly  the  trustees  appointed  James  S.  Clark  and 
John   Blair  to  fill  the  vacancy  of  said  office.     They  like- 


FKTER    M.    WEDDELL. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  iSr 

wise  refused  to  serve,  and  paid  their  fines.  The  trustees 
again  convened,  and  appointed  William  Bliss  and  Reuben 
Champion.  Reuben  Champion  declined  and  paid  his  fine. 
AVilliam  Bliss  accepted,  and  was  qualified."  It  cost  I'ust 
two  dollars  to  decline  an  office  after  election  or  appoint- 
ment. 

The  year  1816  was  of  importance  to  Cleveland  in  vari- 
ous ways,  some  of  which  have  been  suggested  in  the  fore- 
going. An  attempt  was  made  to  improve  the  harbor 
facilities,  by  the  building  of  a  pier  on  the  open  lake. 
With  this  end  in  view,  an  incorporation  called  the 
"  Cleveland  Pier  Company  "  was  formed  under  authority 
of  the  laws  of  Ohio,  "  for  the  purpose  of  erecting  a  pier 
at  or  near  the  village  of  Cleveland,  for  the  accoinmodation 
of  vessels  navigating  Lake  Erie."  The  incorporators 
were:  Alonzo  Carter,  A.  W.  Walworth,  David  Long, 
Alfred  Kelley,  Datus  Kelley,  Eben  Hosmer,  Daniel  Kel- 
ley,  George  Wallace,  Darius  E.  Henderson,  Samuel 
Williamson,  Sr.,  Irad  Kelley,  James  Kingsbury,  Horace 
Perry  and  Levi  Johnson.  The  venture  could  hardly  be 
called  a  success.  Slight  works  were  put  up,  but  with 
quicksands  underneath,  and  storms  overhead,  they  were 
of  short  duration,  and  before  long  the  waves  made  their 
way  to  the  shore  without  obstruction. 

At  this  time  the  total  assessed  value  of  real  estate 
within  the  city,  including  the  entire  plat  surveyed  in 
1796,  was  $21,065.  A  would-be  prophet,  who  visited  the 
village  that  year,  declared  that  ' '  Cleveland  never  would 
amount  to  anything,  because  the  soil  was  too  poor." 
He  paid  sixteen  dollars  for  a  barrel  of  salt  and  returned 
to  Burke's  tavern  at  Newburg,  to  spend  the  night,  "  be- 
cause it  was  the  most  desirable  place  for  man  and 
beast.  ~«"  -^ 

Several  descriptive  vie-ws  of  the  village  at  this  period, 
when  this  hasty  traveler  thus  condemned  it,  and  shook  its 
dust  from  his  shoes  in  honor  of    Newburg,   have  been 

-*  Statement  of  Royal  Taylor. — "  Annals  of  the  Early  Settlers'  Associa- 
tion," No.  9,  p.  277. 


i82  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

preserved.  Captain  Lewis  Dibble ^^  views  it  from  the  east : 
"  On  leaving-  Doan's  Corners,  one  would  come  in  a  little 
time  to  a  cleared  farm.  Then  down  about  where  A.  P. 
Winslow  now  lives  (Euclid  and  Giddings)  a  man  named 
Curtis  had  a  tannery.  There  was  only  a  small  clearing, 
large  enough  for  the  tannery  and  a  residence.  There  was 
nothing  else  but  woods  until  Willson  avenue  was  reached, 
and  there  a  man  named  Bartlett  had  a  small  clearing,  on 
which  there  was  a  frame  house,  the  boards  running  up 
and  down.  Following  down  the  line  of  what  is  Iiow 
Euclid  avenue,  the  next  sign  of  civilization  was  found  at 
what  is  now  Erie  street,  where  a  little  patch  of  three  or 
four  acres  had  been  cleared,  surrounded  by  a  rail  fence. 
Where  the  First  Methodist  Church  now  stands,  a  man 
named  Smith  lived,  in  a  log-house.  I  don't  remember 
any  building  between  that  and  the  Square,  which  was 
alread}^  laid  out,  but  covered  with  bushes  and   stumps." 

Noble  H.  Merwin  was  a  notable  addition  to  the  popu- 
lation of  Cleveland  in  1816,  coming  with  his  family 
from  Connecticut.-""  He  purchased  of  George  Wallace 
the  tavern  stand  on  the  corner  of  Superior  street  and 
Vineyard  lane  (South  Water  street),  and  also  a  tract  be- 
tween these  two  thoroughfares,  extending  to  Division 
street,  now  known  as  Center  street.  His  hotel  was  later 
known  as  the  Mansion  House.  Mrs.  Philo  Scovill,  who 
became  a  resident  of  Cleveland  in  the  same  year,  after- 
wards related  her  impressions  of  the  village  on  first  sight. 
Many  stumps  and  uncut  bushes  disfigured  the  Public 
Square;  its  only  decoration  being  the  log  jail.  The  land 
south  from  vSuperior  street  to  the  river  was  used  as  a  cow 
pasture,  and  was  thought  to  be  of  little  value. 

Leonard  Case,  who  came  to  the  city  in  the  same  year, 
has  added  a  number  of  details  that  fit  in  with  the  above 

-'*"  Personal  Statement,"  by  Captain  Lewis  Dibble,  "  Annals  of  the 
Early  Settlers'  Association,"  No.  7,  p.  54. 

2iia  R.  T.  Lyon,  who  was  connected  with  the  Merwin  family,  saj-s  that 
Mr.  Merwin  came  to  Cleveland  in  181 5,  and  built  a  log  warehouse  on  the 
corner  of  Superior  and  Merwin  streets.  His  family  came  on  from  Con- 
necticut the  next  year. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  iSj 

descriptions.  The  only  streets  fairly  cleared  were  Su- 
perior west  of  the  Square :  Euclid  road  was  made  pass- 
able for  teams,  as  was  also  a  part  of  Ontario  street.  Wa- 
ter street  was  a  winding  path  in  the  bushes ;  and  Union 
and  Vineyard  lanes  mere  paths  to  the  river.  Mandrake 
lane  and  Seneca  and  Bank  streets  were  practically  all 
woods;  while  Ontario  street  north  of  the  Square,  Supe- 
rior east  of  it,  Erie,  Bond  and  Wood,  were  in  a  state  of 
nature.  A  passable  road  ran  out  by  Ontario  street  and  the 
modern  Broadway,  to  Xewburg.  The  Kinsman  road 
(Woodland  avenue)  was  then  altogether  out  of  town. 

Cleveland's  second  brick  house  was  constructed  by  Al- 
fred Kelley,  in  1816.  He  was  the  owner  of  a  piece  of 
land  running  from  Water  street  to  the  river,  and  to  the 
lake  on  the  northward.  It  was  on  this  property"  that  a 
story  and  a  half  building  was  erected,  at  the  point  where 
the  Cleveland  Transfer  Company's  building  afterwards 
stood.  ]Mr.  Kelley  intended  it  for  the  residence  of  his 
parents,  but  as  his  mother  died  before  its  completion,  he 
and  his  young  bride  were  its  first  occupants,  and  there 
they  remained  until  1827.  A  characteristic  incident  of 
the  dav  is  related  in  the  home-comino-  of  ]\Ir.  Kellev's 
bride.  He  was  married  in  the  summer  of  1817,  in  Low- 
ville,  Xew  York.  He  had  purchased  a  carriage  in  Al- 
bany, and  after  the  wedding  the  young  couple  set  out  in 
that  vehicle  for  the  new  home  he  had  found  in  the  west. 
They  drove  to  Buffalo,  and  as  the  roads  had  become  quite 
difficult  to  travel,  thev  decided  to  come  the  remainder  of 
the  distance  on  a  schooner  that  was  then  lying  in  the  har- 
bor. As  she  was  not  yet  ready  to  sail,  they  drove  to 
Niagara  Falls,  and  on  the  return  found  that  the  vessel 
had  taken  advantage  of  a  favoring  breeze,  and  gone  on 
"without  them.  They  thereupon  concluded  to  continue 
in  their  vehicle.  Seven  days  were  occupied  in  the  trip, 
as  the  roads  were  in  a  fearful  condition,  and  for  portioQS 
of  the  distance  both  were  compelled  to  walk.  Upon 
Teaching  Cleveland  they  discovered  that  the  schooner  had 
not  yet  arrived  in  port.      Their  carriage  was  the  first  one 


iS4  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

seen  in  Cleveland,  and  was  for  a  long  time  in  demand 
upon  special  occasions.  It  was  used  by  the  senior  Leonard 
Case,  when  he,  also,  went  forth  to  bring  home  a  bride. 

The  "apparent  lack  of  piety,"  of  which  the  Rev.  Joseph 
Badger  complained,  in  one  of  his  visits  to  early  Cleve- 
land, or  some  other  cause,  prevented  the  citizens  of  the 
little  village  from  doing  much  in  the  way  of  organized 
religious  effort.  It  was  not  until  November  9th,  i  8 16,  that 
the  first  visible  step  in  this  direction  was  successfully 
taken,  and  the  foundations  laid  for  one  of  the  great  church 
organizations  of  the  present  day. 

A  little  company  of  earnest  persons  met  on  the  day 
named,  at  the  house  of  Phineas  Shephard,  "  for  the  pur- 
pose of  nominating  officers  for  a  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church  "  in  Cleveland.  Timothy  Doan  was  chosen 
moderator,  and  Charles  Gear  clerk ;  Phineas  vShephard 
and  Abraham  Scott  were  elected  wardens ;  Timothy 
Doan,  Abraham  Hickox  and  Jonathan  Pelton,  vestrymen; 
Dennis  Cooper,  reading  clerk ;  and  the  meeting  then  ad- 
iourned  "till  Easter  Mondav  next. ' '  On  March  2nd  of  the 
following  year  (18 1 7),  at  a  vestry  meeting  held  in  the 
court-house,  it  was  resolved  that  the  persons  present  M^ere 
attached  to  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  of  the  United 
States,  and  that  they  did  unite  themselves  into  a  congre- 
gation by  the  name  of  "  Trinity  Parish  of  Cleveland, 
Ohio,  for  the  worship  and  services  of  Almighty  God  ac- 
cording to  the  forms  and  regulations  of  said  church." 
There  were  present  not  only  the  above-named  officials, 
but  also  John  Wilcox,  Alfred  Kelley,  Irad  Kelley,  T.  M. 
Kelley,  Noble  H.  Merwin,  David  Long,  D.  C.  Henderson, 
Philo  vScovill,  Rev.  Roger  Searl,  of  Plymouth,  Conn., 
and  others.  A  few  days  later,  with  the  Rev.  Roger  vSearl 
acting  as  president  ex  officio,  and  Dr.  David  Long  as 
clerk,  a  second  election  occurred.  The  new  organization 
had  little  more  than  a  name  during  the  three  succeeding 
years;  the  village  was  small,  the  church  had  no  house  in 
which  to  meet,  and  was  not  able  to  pay  a  settled  minister. 
Mr.  Searl  visited  the  parish  at  intervals,  but  for  the  most 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


i8s 


part  the  services  of  lay  readers  were  all  that  could  be 
secured. 

At  a  vestry  meeting  held  in  May,  1820,  a  resolution 
was  adopted  which  must  have  been  humiliating  to  Cleve- 
land, small  as  it  then  was.  It  was  declared:  "  That  it 
is  expedient  in  future  to  have  the  clerical  and  other  pub- 
lic services  of  the  Episcopal  Church  in  Trinity  Parish, 
heretofore  located  in  Cleveland,  held  in  Brooklyn  ordi- 
narily, and  occasionally  in  Cleveland  and  Euclid,  as  cir- 
cumstances may  seem  to  require." 

Matters    were    left    in    this     shape    until    the    fall    of 
1826,   when    the    Rev.    vSilas    C.    Freeman,    of    Virginia, 
became  rector  of  the  parish,  on  a  salary  of  $500  per  an- 
num, with  the  ==-r^- 
understanding 
that  the  church 
of     the     vsame 
denomination 
at      Nor  walk 
should  employ 
him   one-third 
or  one-half  of 
the  time,  pay- 
ing their  pro- 
portion of  the 
five      hundred 
dollars. 

Under     this 

new  arrangement,  the  Parish  of  Trinity  returned  again 
to  this  side  of  the  river,  and  services  were  held  in  the 
court-house.  In  1827,  Mr.  Freeman  was  appointed 
an  agent  to  go  east,  for  the  purpose  of  raising  funds 
for  the  erection  of  a  church  building.  vSuch  success 
attended  his  efforts,  that  in  1828-9  Cleveland  saw  the 
erection  of  her  first  church  building,  which  stood  on  the 
southeast  corner  of  Seneca  and  St.  Clair  streets,  and  was 
built  at  a  cost  of  $3,070.  In  February,  1828,  the  Parish 
was  incorporated  by  special  act  of  the  general  assembly,. 


TRINITY    CHURCH,     1828. 


jS6  the  history  of  CLEVELAND. 

the  names  of  the  eorporators  being  as  f oUows :  Josiah 
Barber,  Phineas  vShephard,  Charles  Taylor,  Henry  L. 
Noble,  Reuben  Champion,  James  S.  Clarke,  vSherlock  ]. 
Andrews,  Levi  Sargeant,  and  John  W.  Allen,  who  were 
then  wardens  and  vevStrymen.  In  1830,  Rev.  Mr.  MeElroy 
became  rector,  giving  his  whole  time  to  Trinity,  for  which 
he  was  to  receive  an  annual  salar}'  of  S450.  The  growth 
in  membership  and  influence  thereafter  was  steady ;  in 
1853,  a  large  stone  house  of  worship  was  begun  on  Supe- 
rior street,  near  Bond  street,  which  was  completed  and 
consecrated  in  1855. 

Cleveland  not  only  saw  its  first  church  society  organized 
in  1816,  but  also  its  first  bank. 

There  can  be  found  in  the  rooms  of  the  Western  Re- 
serve Historical  Society,  four  record  books  of  medium 
size,  bound  in  a  heavy  brown  leather,  with  pages  here 
and  there  discolored  by  time  and  wear,  but  with  each 
entrv  so  legible  that  it  seems  to  have  been  made  but  yes- 
terday. On  the  fly-leaf  of  the  largest  the  story  of  the 
four  is  told  as  follows: 

"  This  ledger,  with  the  two  journals  and  letter-book, 
are  the  first  books  used  for  banking  in  Cleveland.  They 
were  made  by  Peter  Burtsell,  in  New  York,  for  the  Com- 
mercial Bank  of  Lake  Erie,  which  commenced  business  in 
August,  1 8 16, — Alfred  Kelley  president,  and  Leonard  Case 
[Sr.]  cashier.  The  bank  failed  in  1820.  On  the  second 
day  of  April,  1832,  it  was  reorganized  and  resumed  busi- 
ness, after  paying  off  its  existing  liabilities,  consisting  of 
less  than  ten  thousand  dollars  due  the  treasurer  of  the 
L'nited  States.  Leonard  Case  was  chosen  president,  and 
Truman  P.  Handy,  cashier.  The  following  gentlemen 
constituted  its  directory:  Leonard  Case,  Samuel  William- 
son, Edward  Clark,  Peter  M.  Weddell,  Heman  Oviatt, 
Charles  M.  Giddings,  John  Blair,  Alfred  Kelley,  David 
King,  James  Duncan,  Roswell  Kent,  T.  P.  Handy,  John 
W.  Allen.  Its  charter  expired  in  1842.  The  legislature 
of  Ohio  refusing  to  extend  the  charter  of  existing  banks, 
its  affairs  were  placed,  by  the  courts,  in  the  hands  of  T.  P. 


o 
-t- 


oi 
H 
C/2 

D 


D 
W. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


187 


Handy,  Henry  B.  Payne,  and  Dudley  Baldwin,  as  speeial 
commissioners,  who  proceeded  to  pay  off  its  liabilities, 
and  wind  up  its  affairs.  They  paid  over  to  its  stock- 
holders the  balance  of  its  assets  in  lands  and  money,  in 
June,  1844.  T.  P.  Handy  was  then  appointed  trustee  of 
the  stockholders,  who,  under  their  orders,  distributed  to 
them  the  remaining  assets  in  June,  1845.  Its  capital  was 
five  hundred  thousand  dollars.  The  books  were,  prior  to 
1832,  kept  by  Leonard  Case,  cashier.  [Presented  to  the 
Historical  Society  of  Cleveland  by  T.  P.  Handy,  Januarv, 

1877.]"  _  _  .  ' 

This  pioneer  bank  of  Cleveland,  which  had  so  severe 
an  experience  in  its  early  days,  but  made  a  record  so  hon- 
orable in  conclusion,  was  incorporated  August  6th,  18 16, 
The  following  named  gentlemen  signed  the  articles  of  in- 
corporation: John  H,  Strong,  Samuel  Williamson,  Philo 
Taylor,  George  Wallace,  David  Long,  Erastus  Miles,  vSeth 
Doan,  Alfred  Kelley.  It  opened  for  business  in  a  building 
standing  at  the  corner  of  Superior  and  Bank  streets.  Its 
president,  Alfred  Kelley,  we 
have  met  before ;  its  cashier, 
Leonard  Case,  left  his  per- 
sonal impress  upon  Cleveland 
in  many  ways,  while  his  son, 
the  second  Leonard  Case,  has 
forever  linked  the  name  of  his 
family  with  that  of  Cleveland 
by  his  princely  benefactions. 
Mr.  Case  was  born  in  West- 
moreland County,  Pennsyl- 
vania, in  1786,  and  in  1800 
accompanied  his  father  to 
Trumbull  County,  Ohio,  w^iere  the  latter  located  on  a 
farm  near  Warren.  A  severe  illness,  in  1801,  left  the  son 
a  cripple,  and  seeing  that  his  career  as  a  farmer  was  over, 
he  turned  his  attention  to  the  study  of  surveying.  In 
1806,  he  became  connected  with  the  land  commissioner's 
office  in  Warren,  and  while  there  took  up  the  study  of  the 


LEONARD    CASE,   SR. 


iSS  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

law,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar.  During  the  War  of 
1 8 12  he  was  engaged  in  the  colleetion  of  taxes  from  non- 
residents of  the  Reserve,  and  in  1816  he  came  to  Cleve- 
land for  the  position  above  described.'^"  He  also  practiced 
law  to  some  extent,  and  acted  as  land  agent,  to  which 
latter  occupation  he  gave  himself  altogether  after  1834. 
He  acquired  an  immense  fortune,  and  died  in  1864. 

The  banking  interests  of  Ohio  had  not  been  very  ex- 
tensive, nor  of  any  special  credit  to  the  State,  prior  to 
1 8 16.  In  that  year  an  act  was  passed  by  the  General 
Assembly  which  it  was  thought  would  result  in  a  marked 
improvement.  This  general  banking  law  incorporated 
the  Franklin  Bank  of  Columbus,  the  Lancaster  Bank,  the 
Belmont  Bank  of  St.  Clairsville,  the  Commercial  Bank  of 
Lake  Erie,  the  Mt.  Pleasant  Bank,  and  the  Bank  of  West 
Union.  It  also  extended  the  charters  of  the  L'rbana 
Banking  Company,  the  Columbiana  Bank,  of  New  Lis- 
bon; the  Farmers',  Mechanics' and  Manufacturers'  Bank, 
of  Chillicothe,  and  the  German  Bank,  of  Wooster.  It  was 
provided  that  of  the  stock  of  these  banks,  and  such  as  might 
be  subsequently  organized  under  this  law,  one  share  out 
of  each  twenty-five  was  to  be  set  off  to  the  vState  of  Ohio, 
and  the  dividends  accruing  on  such  stock  were  to  stand  in 
lieu  of  taxes.  A  commentary  upon  the  methods  and  con- 
ditions of  the  time  is  found  in  the  fact,  that  when  a  gen- 
eral summary  of  the  condition  of  the  Ohio  banks  was  made 
at  a  later  date,  four  of  the  above  named  were  set  down  as 
"  worthless,"  three  "  broken,"  and  one  "  closed." 

"  The  first  of  the  so-called  banks  of  Ohio,"  says  an  ein- 
inent  authority '^^  upon   this  subject,    "to  issue  notes  of 

•'"  "  When  the  bank  was  established,  a  suitable  person  for  cashier  was 
required.  Judge  Kingsbury,  happening  to  be  m  town  one  day,  was  asked, 
if  he  knew  any  one  among  his  acquaintances  who  cotild  fill  the~position. 
He  said  he  knew  a  young  man,  by  the  name  of  Leonard  Case,  who  wrote  a 
good  hand,  and  was  said  to  be  a  good  accountant;  and  he  thought  he 
would  answer.  He  was  engaged,  and  was  the  hrst  cashier,  and  Alfred 
Kelley  the  first  president."  Statement  by  Geo.  B.  Merwin. — "  Annals  of 
the  Early  Settlers' Association,"  No.  i,  p.  66. 

■"■'  "State  Bank  of  Ohio,"  by  J.  J.  Janney.  — "  Magazine  of  _ Western 
History,"  Vol.  H.,  p.  158. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  iSg 

circulation  was  the  Miami  Exporting  Company,  of  Cincin- 
nati, which  was  incorporated  in  1803  as  a  trading-  com- 
pany merely,  and  its  stock  was  payable  five  per  cent,  in 
cash  and  ninety-five  per  cent,  in  produce  or  manufactures, 
as  the  president  and  directors  might  approve.  The 
charter  contained  a  clause  under  which  the  directors 
claimed  the  right  to  issue  notes  for  circulation,  and  find- 
ing the  treasury  not  as  full  as  was  thought  desirable,  ap- 
plication was  made  to  an  engraver,  and  notes  were  issued. 
But  the  time  always  comes  in  such  cases  when  new  notes 
will  no  longer  be  taken  and  if  nothing  better  can  be 
offered,  a  collapse  follows." 

That  Ohio  might  be  freed  from  a  currency  of  this  char- 
acter, the  Legislature,  on  February  24th,  1845,  passed  an 
act  for  the  incorporation  of  the  State  Bank  of  Ohio,  and 
other  banking  companies.  This  meastire  owed  its  exist- 
ence, in  a  great  degree,  to  the  wisdom  and  personal  efforts 
of  Alfred  Kelley,  who  was  then  a  member  of  the  State 
Senate.  It  provided  that  the  bank  should  have  a  capital 
of  six  millions  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars, 
"  in  addition  to  the  capital  of  any  existing  banks  that  may 
be  authorized  to  continue  their  existence  subject  to  the 
provisions  of  the  act."  The  State  was  divided  into 
twelve  districts  and  the  capital  distributed  among  them. 
It  was  provided  that  no  more  than  one  bank  could  be 
formed  in  a  county,  except  under  certain  conditions.  A 
board  of  bank  commissioners  was  named  in  the  act,  one 
of  whom  was  John  W.  Allen,  of  Cleveland.  The  story 
of  Cleveland's  branch  connections  will  be  fully  related 
later. 

The  brief  story  of  the  Commercial  Bank  of  Lake  Erie 
has  been  told  in  the  statement  made  by  Mr.  Handy, 
above  quoted.  That  troublesome  times  overtook  the 
new  venture  was  due,  we  may  be  sure,  to  existing  condi- 
tions, rather  than  to  any  fault  on  the  part  of  its  sponsors, 
for  Alfred  Kelley  and  Leonard  Case  both  showed  them- 
selves, in  other  directions,  the  possessors  of  financial  abil- 
ities of  the  highest  order.      The  money  market  was   in 


igo  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

such  condition  in  Cleveland  just  then  that  in  i8i7-i<Si8 
small  change  was  so  scarce  that  the  trustees  of  the  vil- 
lage, to  relieve  the  wants  of  the  people,  issued  corpora- 
tion scrip,  called  by  the  people  "  corporation  shinplas- 
ters,"  to  the  amount  of  one  hundred  dollars,  and  running 
in  value  from  six  and  one-fourth  cents  to  fifty  cents. 
"  There  were  financiers  in  those  days,"  says  George  B. 
Merwin,  in  the  statement  recently  quoted,  "  as  well  as  in 
modern  times;  a  silver  dollar  was  divided  into  nine 
pieces,  each  passing  for  a  shilling,  and  a  pistarccii,  worth 
eighteen  and  three-quarter  cents,  went  for  a  shilling 
also." 

The  public  school  system  has  been  for  years — and 
justly,  too — a  matter  of  great  pride  to  the  people  of 
Cleveland,  and  there  are  few,  if  any,  cities  of  the  Union 
where  thought  and  money  have  been  more  generously 
expended,  in  the  free  education  of  the  young,  than  in  the 
Forest  City.  The  system,  as  it  stands  to-day,  is  a  justifi- 
cation of  all  that  has  been  attempted  and  performed. 

In  preceding  pages  we  have  called  attention  to  the  fact 
that  this  was  a  matter  that  lay  very  close  to  the  hearts  of 
the  sons  and  daughters  of  New  England,  who  came  into 
the  wilderness  to  found  communities  fashioned  after 
those  at  home ;  and  a  glimpse  has  been  here  and  there 
given  of  isolated  pioneer  schools.  Cleveland  possessed 
some  of  these  at  various  early  dates,  but  it  was  not  until 
1817  that  there  began  to  appear  upon  the  records  sub- 
stantial evidences  that  the  matter  of  education  had  been 
taken  up  in  real  earnest  at  last.  A  little  school-house  had 
been  erected  by  private  subscription, ■"*-  down  on  St.  Clair 
street,  near  Bank,  in  a  small  grove  of  oak  trees.      "  No 

^'^  The  donors  to  this  fund  were  as  follows:  T.  &  I.  Kellev,  $20;  Stephen 
S.  Dudley,  $5;  Daniel  Kelley,  $10;  T.  &  D.  Mills,  $5;  Wm.  Trimball,  $5; 
J.  Riddall,  $5;  Walter  Bradrock,  $2.50:  Levi  Johnson,  $10;  J.  Heather,  $5; 
Horace  Perry,  $10;  John  A.  Ackley,  $5;  A.  W.  Walworth,  $5;  Geo.  Wal- 
lace, $5;  Jacob  Wilkerson,  $5;  Plinney  Mowrey,  $3.20;  D.  C.  Henderson, 
$15;  David  Long,  $15;  Samuel  Williamson,  $15  ;  Alonzo  Carter,  $15  ;  John 
Dixon,  $5 ;  N.  H.  Merwin,  $5 ;  James  Root,  $5 ;  Joel  Xason,  $3 ;  Edward 
McCarney,  $5 ;  Geo.  Pease,  $5. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


igi 


description  of  this  building  is  needed,"  says  Mr.  Freese/^'^ 
in  his  sketch  of  the  Cleveland  schools,  "  further  than  to 
say  that  it  resembled  a  country  district  school-house, 
being  modeled  upon  that  well-known  and  peculiarly  con- 
structed edifice,  which  has  suffered  no  change  in  a  cen- 
tury— one  story,  the  size  about  24  by  30,  chimney  at  one 
end,  door  at  the  corner,  near  the  chimney,  the 
six  windows  of  twelve  lights  each  placed  high ;  it 
being  an  old  notion  that  children  should  not  look  out  to 
see  anything.  As  a  school-house  of  the  olden  time,  some 
interest  attaches  to  its  history,  but  perhaps  more  from  the 
^^^  fact    that    it    was    the   first 

school  property  ever  owned 
by  Cleveland  as  a  corpora- 
tion. But  the  schools  kept 
in  it  were  not  free,  except  to 
a  few  who  were  too  poor  to 
pay  tuition.  The  town  gave 
the  rent  of  the  house  to  such 
teachers  as  were  deemed 
qualified,  subjecting  them  to 
very  few   conditions.     They 


-'^"^^ 


Cleveland's  first  school  house. 


were  left  to  manage  the 
school  in  all  respects  just  as  they  pleased.  It  was,  in 
short,  a  private  and  not  a  public  school." 

The  village  acquired  this  school-house  by  purchase. 
At  a  meeting  of  the  trustees,  January  13th,  18 17,  it  was 
declared  that  the  sums  which  the  public-spirited  citizens, 
elsewhere  nained,  had  donated  should  be  refunded, 
"  which  subscriptions  shall  be  paid  out  of  the  treasury  of 
the  corporation  at  the  end  of  three  years  from  and  after 
the  13th  of  June,  1817." 

Mr.  Merwin  '^^  states  that  when  this  school  was  first 
opened,  there  was  an  attendance  of  twenty-four,  and  that 

^•^  "  Early  History  of  the  Cleveland  Public  Schools,"  b}-  Andrew  Freese ; 
published  by  order  of  the  Board  of  Education,  1876,  p.  6. 

■^■'"Recollections,"    by   George    B.    Merwin. — "Annals    of   the    Early 
Settlers'  Association,"  No.  5,  p.  17. 


ig2  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

"  the  young  men  in  the  town  were  assessed  to  pay  the 
master  for  the  amount  of  his  wages  for  the  children  of 
those  parents  who  were  unable  to  do  so;"  but  he  does 
not  tell  us  how  this  assessment  was  laid,  or  under  what 
law  it  could  be  made  collectible.  He  adds:  "  Religious 
services  were  regularly  held  here,  Judge  Kelley  offering 
prayer,  a  young  man  read  the  sermon,  and  my  mother 
led  the  singing;  singing  school  was  also  kept  here, 
taught  by  Herschel  Foote,  Avho  came  from  Utica,  N.  Y., 
and  established  the  first  book-store  in  town." 

Samuel  Williamson,  son  of  the  pioneer  Samuel  William- 
son,'^^ whose  name  we  have  several  times  encountered,  has 
also  touched  upon  the  early  schools  of  the  city,  giving  his 
personal  experiences  in  connection  therewith:  "The 
first  school  of  which  I  have  any  recollection  was  taught  in 
a  barn  which  stood  back  of  the  American  House,  between 
that  and  the  brow  of  the  hill ;  and  I  should  not  remember 
that,  perhaps,  but  for  one  or  two  circumstances.  I  know 
a  severe,  heavy  storm  of  wind,  rain  and  hail  came  from 
the  west,  and  blew  through  the  cracks  and  knot-holes  of 
the  barn,  and  the  school  was  broken  up  for  that  day.  Of 
course  it  was  not  a  finished  building  at  all ;  it  was  merely 
built  of  planks,  logs,  sticks,  etc.  Afterwards  there  was  a 
shed,  so-called,  that  stood  where  the  Commercial  build- 
ings now  stand  (1880).  There  was  a  school  also,  taught 
by  the  late  Benjamin  Carter,  in  a  little  old  building  that 
stood  on  Water  street.  It  was  kept  there,  I  think,  two 
winters.  Afterwards  we  w^ent  to  the  old  court-house, 
and  occupied,  in  the  first  place,  the  family  room.     After- 

^=  The  elder  Williamson  was  a  native  of  Cumberland  Count}-,  Pa.,  and 
came  to  Cleveland  in  iSio,  where,  in  connection  with  his  brother,  he  car- 
ried on  the  business  of  tanning  and  currying,  which  he  continued  until  his 
death,  in  1834.  The  son  Samuel  was  but  two  years  of  age  when  he  came 
to  Cleveland,  and  was  born  in  Crawford  County,  Pa.,  in  1S08.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  Cleveland  bar,  auditor  of  Cuyahoga  County,  a  member  of 
the  Ohio  House  and  Senate,  seiwed  in  the  city  council,  on  board  of  educa- 
tion, and  in  other  positions  of  public  trust.  He  served  for  a  number  of 
years  as  president  of  the  Cleveland  Society  for  Savings.  He  died  in  1884. 
Mr.  Williamson's  statement,  quoted  in  the  text,  is  from  an  address  found 
in  the  "  Annals  of  the  Early  Settlers'  Association,"  No.  i,  p.  57. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  igj 

wards  we  went  upstairs,  and  occupied  that  room  when  the 
court  was  not  in  session.  It  was  kept  there,  until  the 
small  building  was  erected  on  St.  Clair,  west  of  Bank 
street,  which  remained  there  until  a  very  few  years  ago." 

Still  another  early  settler  has  added  his  recollections  to 
this  entertaining  collection  of  educational  experiences. 
The  date  to  which  he  refers  was  a  little  later  than  the 
year  in  which  public  instruction,  as  a  corporate  matter, 
began  down  on  St.  Clair  street;  but  as  the  school  was 
within  the  present  limits  of  Cleveland,  and  as  his  state- 
ments are  illustrative  of  general  conditions,  I  have  no 
hesitation  in  giving  him  space.  George  Watkins  was 
brought  to  Cleveland  in  1818,  when  his  father,  Timothy 
Watkins,  found  a  home  in  a  log-house  on  Euclid  avenue. 
"  My  first  recollection  of  a  vSchool-house,"  says  the  son,^^ 
"was  of  one  on  Fairmount  street,  and  a  second,  a  block  log- 
house  on  Giddings  avenue.  This  [the  second]  was  built 
in  1822,  and  I  began  to  attend  there  the  same  year.  The 
building  was  about  1 5  by  20  feet.  It  Avas  called  a  block- 
house, because  the  logs  were  hewn  on  both  sides.  It  was 
lighted  by  five  windows.  The  old  stone  fire-place  was  six 
feet  across.  On  three  sides  of  the  room  was  a  platform 
seven  or  eight  feet  wide  and  about  one  foot  high.  An 
upright  board  was  placed  a  foot  or  so  from  the  edge  of 
this  platform.  Here  the  little  children  sat,  the  board 
serving  for  the  back  of  their  seats.  On  the  platform  and 
against  the  wall,  at  the  proper  height,  was  the  writing 
desk  of  the  older  pupils.  This  desk  was  continuous 
around  three  sides  of  the  room.  The  seats,  like  the  desk, 
were  of  unplaned  slabs,  which  ran  parallel  with  the  desk. 
When  it  was  writing  time,  the  boys  and  girls  had  to  swing 
their  feet  over,  and  proceed  to  business.  We  wrote  with 
a  goose  quill,  and  every  morning  the  master  set  our  copies 
and  mended  our  pens.  We  had  school  but  three  months, 
in  the  winter. ' ' 

The  little  building  on  St.  Clair  street  well  served  the 

""  "  How  it  Was,"  by  George  Watkins. — "Annals  of  the  Early  Settlers' 
Association,"  No.  6,  p.  59. 


ig4 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


purpose  for  which  it  was  intended,  but  as  the  village 
grew  and  became  more  ambitious,  it  was  recognized  that 
something  more  commensurate  to  the  public  needs  was 
demanded.  The  citizens  conferred  with  each  other,  and 
the  result  was  the  erection,  in  1821,  of  a  two-story  brick 
building,  located  on  the  north  side  of  vSt.  Clair  street, 
half-way  between  Seneca  and  Bank  streets.  This  was 
known  as  the  "Cleveland  Academy,"  and  when  it  was 
completed  in  1822,  the  "  Cleaveland  Herald,"  which  had 
then  been  established,  referred  with  pride  to  "  the  con- 
venient academy  of  brick,  with  its  handsome  spire,  and 
its  spacious  room  in  the  second  story  for  public  purposes." 

As     soon     as    the 
rooms   on  the  lower 
floor  were   complet- 
ed,    a     school     was 
opened,      on      June 
26th,      1822,     under 
the  direction  of  the 
Rev.  Wm.  McLean. 
~  His  scale   of    prices 
^^   was       as        follows: 
Reading,        spelling 
^   and    writing,     $1.75 
per    term ;  grammar 
"^^^    and  geography  were 


added  for  one  dollar 
more ;  while  Greek, 
Latin  and  the  higher 
mathematics  carried  the  grand  total  up^to  $4  per  term. 

The  Academy  building  was  about  45  by  25  feet  in  size; 
the  lower  story  was  divided  into  two  school-rooms,  while 
the  upper  floor  was  employed  for  religious  services,  lect- 
ures, traveling  exhibitions,  and  such  public  purposes. 
A  time  soon  came  when  this  upper  room  was  needed  for 
the  senior  department,  and  the  good  fortune  of  Cleveland 
was  never  better  illustrated  than  upon  this  occasion, 
when  exactly  the  right   luan    was  sent    along  to  occupy 


CLEVELAND    ACADEMY. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


^9S 


the  newly-created  position  of    honor  and  responsibility. 

The  name  of  Harvey  Rice  is  not  only  connected  for  all 
time  with  the  history  of  Cleveland,  but  \\\\.\\  that  of  the 
free  school  svstem  as  well.  He  was  one  of  the  chief  in- 
struments  in  the  creation  of  that  wonderful  plan  of  educa- 
tion that  made  "  the  Ohio  school  system  "  a  beacon  light 
upon  a  new  and  untried  road,  for  the  guidance  of  vStates 
and  communities  elsewhere. 
In  other  ways,  also,  his  many 
years  spent  in  Cleveland 
were  fruitful  of  benefit  to 
the  community  at  large. 

Mr.  Rice  was  of  New  Eng- 
land birth,  and  was  just 
twenty-four  years  of  age 
when  he  came  to  Cleveland. 
He  graduated  from  Williams 
College,  and  set  out  toward 
the  new  west  to  seek  his  for- 
tunes. Reaching  Buffalo,  he 
embarked  on  a  schooner  for  Cleveland,  and  after  three 
days  of  rough  passage,  cast  anchor  off  the  mouth  of  the 
Cuyahoga,  on  the  24th  of  September,  1824.  "A  sand-bar 
prevented  the  schooner  from  entering  the  river,"  Mr. 
Rice'^""  has  told  us.  "  The  jolly  boat  was  let  down,  and 
two  jolly  fellows,  myself  and  a  young  man  from  Balti- 
more, were  transferred  to  the  boat  with  our  baggage,  and 
rowed  by  a  brawny  sailor  over  the  sand-bar  into  the  placid 
waters  of  the  river,  and  landed  on  the  end  of  a  row  of 
planks  that  stood  on  stilts  and  bridged  the  marshy  brink 
of  the  river,  to  the  foot  of  Union  lane.  Here  we  were 
left  standing  with  our  trunks  on  the  w^harf-end  of  a  plank 
at  midnight,  strangers  in  a  strange  land.  We  hardly 
knew  what  to  do,  but  soon  concluded  that  we  must  make 
our  way  in  the  world,  however  dark  the  prospect.  There 
was  no  time  to  be  lost,  so  we  commenced  our  career  in 
Ohio  as  porters,  by  shouldering  our  trunks  and  groping 

^'  "  Annals  of  the  Early  Settlers'  Association,"  Vol.  III.,  No.  i,  p.  35. 


n.\K\i-:Y  RICE. 


igb  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

our  way  up  Union  lane  to  Superior  street,  where  we 
espied  a  light  at  some  distance  up  the  street,  to  which  we 
directed  our  footsteps."  They  found  themselves  in  a 
tavern  kept  by  Michael  Spangler,  where  they  were 
hospitably  received. 

"  In  the  morning,"  Mr.  Rice  continues,  "  I  took  a 
stroll  to  see  the  town,  and  in  less  than  half  an  hour  saw 
all  there  was  of  it. "^^  The  town,  even'  at  that' time, '.w^as 
proud  of  itself,  and  called  itself  the  '  gem'of  the  West.' 
In  fact,  the  Public  Square,  so  called,  was  begemmed  with 
stumps,  while  near  its  center  glowed  its  crowning  jewel,  a 
log  court-house.  The  eastern  border  of  the  Square  was 
skirted  by  the  native  forest,  which  abounded  in  rabbits 
and  squirrels,  and  afforded  the  villagers  a  '  happy  hunt- 
ing ground.'  The  entire  population  did  not,  at  that 
time,  exceed  four  hundred  souls.  The  dwellings  were 
generally  small,  but  were  interspersed  here  and  there 
with  a  few  pretentious  mansions.  ...  I  came  armed 
with  no  other  weapons  than  a  letter  of  introduction  to  a 
leading  citizen  of  the  town,  and  a  college  diploma  printed 
in  Latin,  which  affixed  to  my  name  the  vain -glorious  title 
of  A.  B.  With  these  instrumentalities  I  succeeded,  on 
the  second  day  after  my  arrival,  in  securing  the  position 
of  classical  teacher  and  principal  of  the  Cleveland  Acad- 
emy." In  the  spring  of  1826,  Mr.  Rice  resigned  this  po- 
sition, and  gave  himself  to  other  fields  of  labor. -^^^  Con- 
sideration of  the  further  development  of  Cleveland's  edu- 
cational system  will  be  deferred  to  a  later  date. 

■^^  Mr.  Rice  became  a  member  of  the  Cleveland  bar ;  was  elected  to  the 
Legislature,  and  appointed  agent  for  the  sale  of  the  Western  Reserve 
school  lands;  served  as  clerk  of  Cuyahoga  County,  and  in  1851  was  sent  to 
the  State  Senate,  where  he  introduced  the  bill  which  became  the  Ohio 
school  law,  under  which  the  free  "public-schools  of  Ohio  were  organized. 
To  school  work,  and  to  other  lines  connected  with  the  prevention  of  crime 
and  the  reformation  of  criminals,  ]\Ir.  Rice  gave  many  years  of  earnest 
and  successful  labor.  He  was  an  author  of  note,  and  the  efficient  first 
president  of  the  Early  Settlers'  Association  of  Cuyahoga  Count}-.  His 
life  of  usefulness  ended  in  1891. 

In  connection  with  the  above  mention  of  Mr.  Rice's  services  in  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly  of  Ohio,  it  may  be  mentioned,  as  an  interesting  historical 
fact,  that  Cuyahoga  County  in  its  long  public  record  has  been  represented 


3 

O 


i^j       O 
"So       rt 

"3 

< 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


igr 


A  number  of  material  improvements  of  a  minor  charac- 
ter— not  of  especial  importance  themselves,  but  sug- 
gestive of  a  general  upward  trend  in  business  affairs — 
are  noted  in  the  year  1817.  Captain  William  Gaylord  and 
Leonard  Case,  vSr.,  put  up  the  first  frame  warehouse  down 
by  the  river,  those  in  existence  previously  being  of  logs. 
Not  long  afterwards,  Dr.  David  Long  and  Levi  Johnson, 
constructed  another,  of  like  character,  near  the  same  local- 
ity, and  still  another  was  built  by  John  Blair.  It  was  in 
or  near  the  same  year  that  Abel  R.  Garlick  began  to  cut 
stone  on  Bank  street,  bringing  it  from  Newburg. 

Several  events  of  importance  distinguished  the  year 
1818,  one  of  which  was  the  arrival  of  a  gentleman  who- 
achieved  prominence  at  a  later  date  as  Governor  of  Ohio. 
Reuben  Wood  was  a  native  of 
Vermont,  where  he  was  born, 
in  Rutland  County,  in  1792. 
He  gained  admission  to  the  bar, 
and  in  18 18  came  to  Cleveland, 
where  he  engaged  in  the  prac- 
tice of  his  profession  with  no 
small  degree  of  success.  In 
1852,  he  became  a  member  of 
the  Ohio  Senate,  president- 
judge  of  the  third  judicial  dis- 
trict in  1 830;  and  in  1833  was 
elected  a  judge  of  the  Supreme 
Court  by  a  unanimous  vote,  serving  for  three  years  as 
Chief  Justice  of  the  State.  He  was  elected  Governor  in 
1850,  and  re-elected  in  185  i  under  the  new  constitution. 
He  resigned  that  office  in  1853,  to  accept  an  appointment 
as  consul  to  Valparaiso,  from  which  he  returned  in  1854, 
and  practically  withdrew  from  active  life.  He  died  on 
October  ist,  1864. 

by  but  three  Democrats  in  the  Ohio  Senate — Henry  B.  Payne,  Harvey 
Rice,  and,  after  a  laj^se  of  thirty  years,  A.  J.  Williams.  The  gentleman 
last  named,  in  addition  to  his  political  and  other  public  services,  has  been, 
and  is,  one  of  the  most  earnest  and  active  of  the  official  workers  in  the 
Early  Settlers'  Association. 


GOVERNOR    RKUBEN    WOOD. 


ig8  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


Orlando  Cutter  came  in  the  same  year,  beginning  busi- 
ness in  Cleveland  with  a  stock  of  goods  valued  at  twenty- 
thousand  dollars,  which  was  counted  a  very  large  sum,  at 
this  point,  at  that  time.  Samuel  Cowles,  a  business  man 
and  attorney,  also  arrived.  There  came,  besides,  a  youth 
who,  although  then  quite  young  and  little  known,  after- 
ward became  one  of  the  best  known  of  Cleveland's  citi- 
zens^a  gentleman  whose  facile  pen  has  done  much  in 
preserving  a  record  of  early  events.  This  was  John  H. 
Sargent,  whose  name  is  inseparably  connected  with  the 
history  of  civil  engineering  and  early  railroad  construc- 
tion in  Northern  Ohio,  and  whose  death  occurred  in 
1893. 

When  the  boy  was  but  four  years  of  age  his  father, 
Levi  Sargent,  with  his  faniily,  reached  the  mouth  of  the 
Cuyahoga  in  a  little  schooner.  They  were  taken  off  in 
lighters,  and  found  a  temporary  home  in  the  Grand  Hotel, 
kept  by  Noble  H.  Merwin,  from  which  they  soon  removed 
into  a  small  red  house  on  Water  street.  Mr.  Sargent,  in 
his  characteristic  manner,  has  sketched  some  of  the  con- 
ditions then  existing — probably,  not  entirely  from  his 
youthful  memory  unaided  by  others:  "  Orlando  Cutter 
dealt  out  groceries  and  provisions  at  the  top  of  Superior 
lane,  looking  up  Superior  street  to  the  woods  in  and  be- 
yond the  Public  Square,  and  I  still  remember  the  sweets 
from  his  mococks  of  Indian  sugar.  Nathan  Perry  sold 
dry  goods,  Walworth  made  hats,  and  Tewell  repaired  old 
watches  on  Superior  street.  Dr.  Long  dealt  out  ague 
cures  from  a  little  frame  house  nearly  opposite  Bank 
street  at  first,  but  not  long  after  from  a  stone  house, 
that  stood  a  little  back  from  Superior  street.  The 
'Ox  Bow,  Cleveland  centre,'  was  then  a  densely 
wooded  swamp.  Alonzo  Carter  lived  on  the  w^est  side 
of  the  river,  opposite  the  foot  of  vSuperior  lane.  He 
w^as  a  great  hunter;  with  his  hounds  he  would  drive 
the  deer  onto  the  sand  spit  between  the  lake  and  the 
old  river  bed,  where  they  would  take  to  the  water, 
when   Carter  's   unerring  aim  would   convert    them    into 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  igg 

venison."  ^•'  Ara  Spragne,  who  came  in  April  of  the  same 
year  (i 8 1 8),  took  a  discouraging  view  of  the  situation  as  it 
presented  itself  to  his  vision :  "  I  arrived  a  few  weeks 
after  the  first  census  had  been  taken.  Its  population 
was,  at  that  time,  but  one  hundred  and  seventy-two 
souls:  all  poor,  and  struggling  hard  to  keep  soul  and 
body  together.  Small  change  was  very  scarce.  They 
used  what  were  called  '  corporation  shinplasters  '  as  a 
substitute.  The  inhabitants  were  mostly  New  Eng- 
land people,  and  seemed  to  be  living  in  a  wilderness 
of  scrub  oaks.  Only  thirty  or  forty  acres  had  been 
cleared.  Most  of  the  occupied  town  lots  were  fenced 
with  rails.  There  were  three  warehouses  on  the  river; 
however,  very  little  commercial  business  was  done,  as 
there  was  no  harbor  at  that  time.  All  freight  and  passen- 
gers were  landed  on  the  beach  by  lighter  and  small  boats. 
To  get  freight  to  the  warehouses,  which  were  a  quarter 
of  a  mile  from  the  beach,  we  had  to  roll  it  over  the  sand, 
and  load  it  into  canal  boats.  The  price  of  freight  from 
Buffalo  to  Cleveland  was  $i  a  barrel;  the  price  of  passage 
on  vessels  $io,  and  on  steamboats  $20."*'^  " 

39  "  What  I  Remember,"  by  John  H.  Sargent.—"  Annals  of  the  Early 
Settlers'  Association,"  No.  6,  p.  12. 

•*"  "Cleveland  When  a  Village,"  by  Ara  Sprague. — "  Annals  of  the  Early 
Settlers'  Association,"  No.  2,  p.  74. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Y>\    LAKE   AND    CANAL. 

Lake  Erie  has  played  an  important  part  in  tlic  history 
of  Cleveland,  and  been  of  direct  and  continuous  benefit  in 
the  development  of  her  cominerce,  and  the  extension  of 
her  lines  of  travel.  Frequent  references  to  the  early 
marine  interests  of  Cleveland,  have  been  made  in  the  fore- 
going pages,  and,  with  the  arrival  of  the  y^ar  in  which 
the  first  steamboat  of  the  northern  lakes  touched  at  her 
harbor — 1818 — it  is  time  to  treat  more  fully  of  the  incep- 
tion and  advance  of  her  shipping  interests. 

The  blue  waters,  that  dance  before  the  city's  guarded 
harbor  to-day,  were  no  less  blue,  and  the  foliage  of  the 
Forest  City  no  less  green,  when,  in  1679,  La  Salle,  "  the 
handsome,  blue-eyed  cavalier,  with  smooth  cheeks  and 
abundant  ringlets, ' '  and  Father  Hennepin,  with  ' '  sandaled 
feet,  a  coarse  gray  capote  and  peaked  hood,  the  cord  of 
St.  Francis  about  his  waist,  and  a  rosary  and  crucifix 
hanofina:  at  his  side,"  set  sail  from  the  Niagara  River,  and 
pushed  the  famous  ship  "  Griffin  "  against  the  unknown 
dangers,  and  into  the  unsailed  water-paths  of  Lake 
Erie.  By  three  names  the  lake  was  then  known — the 
high-sounding  Lac  de  Conti,  of  La  Salle,  the  Erie  Tejocha- 
ronting  of  the  Indians  who  lived  upon  its  banks,  and  the 
shorter  Erie,  with  which  the  Franciscan  friar  compromised 
with  the  native  term. 

The  venerable  priest  has,  himself,  left  this  record  of  the 
building  of  that  ship:  "  It  was  on  the  22nd  of  January, 
1679,  that  we  began  to  clear  a  place  on  the  banks  of  the 
Niagara  River,  for  the  purpose  of  constructing  a  vessel, 
and  on  the  30th  the  keel  was  ready  to  be  laid. 
On  the  day  appointed  to  launch  her.  it  was  named  the 
■'  Griffin,'    and   we   fired   three   cannon   and   sung   the    Tc 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  201 

DiiiJit,  Avliicli  was  accompanied  with  whoops  and  cries  of 
jov.  The  Iroqtiois,  who  happened  to  be  on  the  spot  that 
day,  were  witnesses  of  the  ceremony.  We  gave  them  F can 
dc  vie  (brandy)  to  drink,  and  they  also  partook  of  our  de- 
light. From  that  time,  we  quitted  our  cabin  on  the  shore, 
and  vSlept  on  the  vessel,  to  be  out  of  the  way  of  insults 
from  the  Indians.  "We  were  at  last  ready  to  sail,  our 
crew  consisting  in  all  of  thirty-four  persons,  and  the  day 
of  our  departure  was  on  the  7th  of  August,  1679." 

This  forerunner  of  the  fleets  that  plough  the  great  lakes 
to-day  was  of  forty-five  tons  burden.  A  figure,  half  eagle 
and  half  lion,  carved  in  wood,  adorned  her  prow.  Five 
cannon  made  her  safe  from  Indian  attack.  When 
launched,  she  was  taken  to  Black  Rock,  near  the  site 
of  Buffalo,  where  she  received  her  finishing  touches. 

She  sailed  out  into  Lake  Erie  at  the  appointed  time, 
touched  here  and  there  for  purposes  of  trade,  only  to 
frighten  the  natives  away  and  make  barter  with  them 
impossible :  reached  the  Detroit  River,  passed  through 
to  Lake  Huron,  and  finally  reached  Mackinaw,  which  was 
then  the  great  center  of  the  western  fur  trade.  She  loaded 
with  a  goodly  stock  of  these  goods,  at  a  small  island  in  the 
vicinity  of  Green  Bay,  and  on  the  17th  of  vSeptember,  as 
night  fell,  fired  her  parting  gun  and  sailed  away  into  the 
heart  of  a  coining  storm.  La  Salle  and  his  associates 
who  remained  for  further  explorations,  saw  her  disappear 
in  the  gloom — and  in  that  gloom  she  has  been  wrapped 
forever.  No  word — no  hint  of  her  fate  has  been  given  in 
all  the  years  that  have  passed  since  then.  No  known  man 
again  saw  her  crew;  no  relic  was  cast  upon  the  shore. 
She  doubtless  perished  in  that  storm,  and  not  a  soul 
was  saved  to  tell  the  tale. 

The  entrance  from  the  lake,  at  the  point  where  Moses 
Cleaveland,  in  later  years,  surveyed  the  forests,  on  the 
present  site  of  our  fair  city,  may  or  may  not  have  been 
seen  or  touched  at  by  the  bold  Frenchman  on  his  upward 
trip.  If  he  did  land  here,  he  left  no  record  of  the  fact. 
Early  mention  of  the  Cuyahoga,  and  some  account  of  its 


202  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

first  white  visitors,  may  be  found  in  an  earlier  portion'of 
this  work. 

When  Cleveland  was  selected  as  the  capital  of  the'Re- 
serve,  the  Cuyahoga  emptied  itself  into  the  lake  west 
of  its  present  artificial  mouth,  while  yet  farther  west 
could  be  seen  the  location  of  a  still  earlier  bed,  then 
only  a  stagnant  pond.  Across  the  river  mouth  ran  a  bar 
of  sand,  which,  in  the  spring  and  fall,  was  torn  open  by 
the  floods,  but  in  summer  rose  so  high  that  even  the 
small  schooners  of  the  day  had  difficulty  in  passing  in 
and  out.  Once  inside,  a  fairly  good  harborage  was 
found. 

The  building  of  ships  in  Cleveland  commenced  at  an 
early  day.  The  ventures  of  Major  Carter  with  the 
"  Zephyr,"  and  of  Levi  Johnson  with  the  "  Pilot," 
have  been  already  recorded.  In  1810,  Murray  &  Bixby 
built  the  "  Ohio,"  of  sixty  tons.  She  was  sailed  by 
Captain  John  Austen,  and  afterwards  became  a  part  of 
Commodore  Perry's  fleet,  but  took  no  part  in  the  great 
fight,  being  absent  on  other  service.  While  the  "  Pilot  " 
was  under  construction,  another  craft,  the  "  Lady  of 
the  Lake,"  of  about  thirty  tons,  was  being  built  by  Mr. 
Gaylord,  a  brother  of  the  wife  of  Leonard  Case.  This 
vessel  was  sailed  by  Captain  vStone,  between  Detroit  and 
Buffalo.  The  "  Pilot  "  was  kept  busy  from  the  first  in 
the  employ  of  the  United  States,  carrying  army  stores 
and  troops;  and  touching  at  Detroit,  Maumee,  Erie,  Buf- 
falo, and  other  points  on  the  lake,  as  occasion  required. 
In  1 8 1 5 ,  Mr.  Johnson  commenced  the  schooner  ' '  Nep- 
tune," of  sixty-five  tons  burthen;  she  was  launched 
in  the  spring  following.  Her  first  trip  was  to  Buffalo. 
She  was  afterwards  engaged  in  the  fur  trade,  in  the 
employ  of  the  American  Fur  Company.  The  "  Pru- 
dence "  was  built,  in  1821,  by  Philo  Taylor;  and  in  1826 
John  Blair  constructed  the  "  Macedonian,"  and  Captain 
Burtiss  the  "  Lake  Serpent." 

It  was  in  1818,  that  the  people  of  Cleveland,  for  the  first 
time,    saw    a    steam-vessel   come   to  anchor  before  their 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


20J 


city."*^  It  was  the  famous,  picturesque,  and  somewhat 
oddly  constructed  "  Walk-in-the- Water, " — so  named 
after  an  Indian  chief.  Her  visit  here  was  made  on  Au- 
gust 2  5tli,  on  her  way  from  Buffalo  to  Detroit,  under 
command  of  Captain  Job  Fish,  who  had  been  an  engineer 
for  Fulton,  on  the  Hudson.  She  was  of  three  hundred 
tons  burthen,  could  travel  a  steady  eight  or  ten  miles  an 
hour,  and  accommodate  one  hundred  cabin  passengers,  and 
a  large  number  in  the  steerage.  The  people  of  Cleveland 
saluted  her  with  a  round  of  artillery,  and  several  promi- 
nent citizens  continued  with  her  to  Detroit, 

The  ''Walk-in-the- Water"   was   constructed    at    Black 


THE    "WALK-IX-THE-WATER. 


Rock,  and  latinched  on  the  28th  of  May,  1818.  As  her 
engines  were  not  of  sufficient  power  to  carry  her  against 
the  rapids,  the  captain  went  ashore ;  drummed  up  the 
thinly-settled  country ;  collected  twenty  yoke  of  oxen ; 
attached  them  to  a  line  fixed  on  the  vessel,  and  by  their 

''^  The  "  Cleaveland  Register,"  under  date  of  November  3rd,  18 18,  saj^s: 
"  The  facility  with  which  she  moves  over  our  lakes  warrants  us  m  saying 
she  will  be  of  utility,  not  only  to  the  proprietors,  but  to  the  public.  She 
affords  to  us  a  safe,  sure,  and  speedy  conveyance  of  all  our  surplus  prod- 
ucts to  distant  markets.  She  works  as  well  in  a  storm  as  any  vessel  on 
the  lakes,  and  answers  the  most  daring  expectations  of  the  proj^rietor. " 


204  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


aid  and  her  steam,  acting  together,  quickly  pulled  her  up. 

She  left  Buffalo  on  her  trial  trip,  on  August  23rd.  She 
made  seven  trips  to  Detroit  the  first  season,  each  occupy- 
ing from  nine  to  ten  days.  An  early  passenger^"-  has 
left  us  an  account  of  her  launching,  and  his  first  experi- 
ences of  travel  by  steam-boat:  "  In  August,  181 8,  I  was 
present  at  Black  Rock  and  saw  the  first  steam-boat 
launched,  that  entered  the  waters  of  Lake  Erie.  It  was 
called  '  Walk-in-the-Water,'  and  was  a  memorable  event 
of  that  day.  At  this  time  there  was  no  harbor  at  Buffalo 
of  sufficient  depth  of  water  for  a  craft  of  that  size,  and 
owing  to  the  crude  manner  of  constructing  engines  at 
that  time,  she  had  very  great  difficulty  in  getting  up  the 
river  into  the  lake,  consequently  she  was  obliged  to  wait 
for  a  '  horn  breeze,'  as  the  sailors  term  it,  and  hitch  on 
eight  or  ten  pair  of  oxen  by  means  of  a  long  rope  or  cable, 
and  together  with  all  the  steam  that  could  be  raised,  she 
was  enabled  to  make  the  ascent.  Sometimes  the  cable 
would  break,  and  the  craft  float  back  to  the  place  from 
whence  she  started." 

Mr.  Howe  relates  his  experience  as  a  passenger:  "  I 
took  passage  from  Black  Rock  to  Cleveland  on  board  the 
steamer  '  AValk-in-the-Water, '  and  ascended  the  Niagara 
River  through  the  aid  of  and  assistance  of  that  '  horn 
breeze,'  before  described.  The  usual  speed  of  this  boat 
was  about  eight  miles  an  hour,  without  the  use  of  sails, 
and  made  a  trip  to  Detroit  in  about  eight  days.  We  ar- 
rived off  Cleveland  at  near  the  close  of  the  second  day, 
under  a  heavy  northwest  gale  of  wind,  and  a  heavy  sea. 
At  that  time  there  was  no  entrance  to  the  harbor,  except 
for  very  small  craft  and  lighters.  It  was  soon  discovered 
that  the  boat  could  proceed  no  farther  against  the  wind, 
and  could  not  put  back  without  great  peril.  Finally  all 
the  anchors  were  cast,  with  the  alternative  of  riding  out 
the  gale  or  going  onto  the  beach,  and  I  think  the  latter 
was  most  expected  by  all  on  board.      The  gale  continued 

•••-  "  Autobiography  and  Recollections  of  a  Pioneer  Printer,"  by  Eber  1). 
Howe;  Paine ^ville,  C^hio,  1878,  p.  20. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  203 


for  three  nights  and  two  days  without  mueh  abatement, 
and  on  the  morning  of  the  third  day,  the  passengers  were 
taken  ashore  in  small  boats,  among  whom  were  the  late 
Governor  Wood,  wife  and  child." 

The  steamer  ran  successfully  through  the  seasons  of 
1819-20,  and  up  to  November,  1821,  when  she  Avas  driven 
ashore,  near  Buffalo,  and  wrecked.  In  a  sketch  of  the 
life  of  Orlando  Cutter,  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Cleveland, 
is  found  an  incident  in  connection  wdth  that  event.  He 
went  east  in  the  fall  of  1821,  and  on  his  return  decided 
to  exchange  his  former  schooner  experiences  for  an  ex- 
periment with  steam.  In  company  with  two  friends, 
George  Williams  and  John  S.  Strong,  and  some  seventy 
other  passengers,  he  went  aboard  at  Black  Rock,  in  the 
afternoon.  The  oxen  were  called  into  requisition,  to  get 
them  over  the  rapids,  ere  they  proceeded  out  into  the 
open  lake.  In  the  night  a  furious  gale  arose,  and  Cap- 
tain Rogers,  who  was  then  in  command,  put  back,  but 
was  not  able  to  get  into  Buffalo  Creek.  He  came  to  an 
anchor  near  its  mouth.  Mr.  Cutter,  who  was  very  sea- 
sick, lay  in  his  cabin  below,  little  caring  for  further  ex- 
periments with  steam.  Towards  morning,  the  anchor 
gave  way,  and  the  career  of  usefulness  of  the  "  Walk- 
in-the-Water  "  was  ended.  vShe  was  driven  ashore  side- 
wise  and  lay  easy  on  a  sand  beach,  so  that  the  passengers 
and  crew  reached  shore  without  loss  of  life. 

Some  further  details  of  this  exciting  contest  between 
steam  and  storm,  were  personally  furnished  the  writer  a 
few  years  ago,  by  the  George  Williams  above  referred 
to.'*"^  At  the  time  of  the  narration,  he  was  living  in  Cleve- 
land, of  a  venerable  old  age,  but  with  mind  and  memory 
as  clear  as  a  bell.  Mr.  Williams  said:  "As  she  cast  off 
her  tow-line  and  moved  unaided  into  the  broad  waters  of 
Lake  Erie,  there  was  no  anticipation  of  the  terrible  gale 
we  were  soon  to  encounter.  The  boat  had  a  full  com- 
plement of  passengers,  and  a  full  cargo  of  goods,  mostly 

-  43  "  -pj^g  Early  Marine  Interests  of  Cleveland,"  by  James  Harrison  Ken- 
nedy.— "  Magazine  of  Western  History,"  Vol.  H.,  p.  452. 


2o6 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


for  western  merchants,  one  of  whom,  Mr.  Palmer,  of 
Detroit,  was  on  board  with  his  bride.  There  was  also  a 
company  of  missionaries,  several  of  whom  were  ladies, 
on  their  way  to  some  western  Indian  tribe.  As  the  winds 
rose,  friends  grouped  themselves  together,  and  as  the 
storm  grew  more  and  more  furious,  there  was  great  ter- 
ror among  them.  The  young  bride  was  frantic,  shriek- 
ing and  calling  on  her  husband.  The  missionaries  sang 
hymns,  and  devoted  themselves  to  soothing  the  terrified. 
There  was  a  Mr.  Strong  on  board,  a  cattle  dealer  and 
farmer,    after  whom    Strongs ville,   near    Cleveland,   was 


WRECK    OK    THE    "  WALK-IN-THE-WATER.  " 

named.  He  had  in  his  saddle-bags  the  proceeds  of  a 
drove  of  cattle  just  sold  at  the  east.  Through  the  night 
and  during  the  height  of  the  storm,  he  lay  in  a  berth 
near  the  companion  way,  his  saddle-bags  under  his  head. 
When  asked  how  he  could  lie  there  so  quietly,  he  noncha- 
lantly replied,  if  he  was  to  be  drowned  he  might  as  well 
be  drowned  there  as  anywhere.  We  lay  tossed  of  the 
tempest,  the  big  seas  sweeping  over  us  all  the  long  night. 
Just  as  the  first  gleam  of   daylight  appeared,  our  anchor 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  207 

began  to  drag.  The  captain,  seeing  the  impossibility 
of  saving  the  steamer,  ordered  her  beached.  With  skilled 
seamanship  she  was  sent  broadside  on.  A  rope  was 
stretched  from  boat  to  beach,  and  the  passengers  were 
ferried  to  shore  in  the  small  boat.  Thev  reached  it, 
drenched  and  exhausted,  but  all  saved.  Yes,  of  all  on 
board  then,  I  suppose  I  am  the  only  one  now  living." 

Returning  to  the  ship-building  interests  of  Cleveland, 
we  find  Noble  H.  Merwin  engaged  in  the  construction  of 
a  schooner  of  forty-four  tons,  at  the  foot  of  Superior 
street.  She  was  launched  in  March,  1822.^'^"  Her  chain 
cable  was  an  article  of  home  industry — one  of  Cleveland's 
first  iron  manufactures — and  was  made  on  the  anvil  6f 
one  Jones,  a  blacksmith.  As  a  test  of  its  strength,  it  was 
fastened  to  a  butternut  tree,  and  pulled  upon  by  twelve 
yoke  of  oxen.  Although  it  parted  under  the  strain,  it 
was  thought  strong  enough  for  the  uses  to  which  it 
would  be  put.  "  When  she  was  launched,"  says  George 
B.  ]\Ierwin,  "  I  stood  on  the  heel  of  her  bowsprit,  and  as 
she  touched  the  water,  christened  her,  by  giving  her  my 
mother's  name,  '  Minerva,'  and  broke  a  gallon  jug  of 
whisky  over  her  bows,  as  was  the  custom  on  similar 
occasions  in  those  times.  She  was  dispatched  to  Mack- 
inac, loaded  with  provisions,  for  the  garrison  on  that 
island,  and  made  the  round  trip  in  four  weeks,  which  at 
that  time  was  regarded  as  a  wonderful  achievement." 

In  1824,  the  first  steamship  built  at  this  port,  was  con- 
structed by  Levi  Johnson,  in  partnership  with  the 
Turhooven  brothers.  It  was  called  the  "  Enterprise," 
and  was  about  two  hundred  and  twenty  tons.  Its  engine 
was  of  from  sixty  to  seventy  horse-power,  and  was  built 
in  Pittsburg.  Mr.  Johnson,  himself,  commanded  her, 
running  between  Buffalo  and  Detroit.  When  hard  times 
struck  the  vessel  interests  in  1828,  he  sold  her,  and  retired 
from  the  lakes.  He  aided  in  building  only  one  more 
vessel,  the  "  Commodore,"  which  was  constructed  on  the 

43a  This  was  the  first  vessel  registered  at  Washington  from  the  district 
of  Cuyahoga,  under  the  United  States  revenue  laws. 


2o8  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

Chagrin  River,  in  1830.  From  that  date  on,  the  building 
of  lake  craft  was  continued  by  various  parties,  as  the  busi- 
ness of  the  port  required. 

The  route,  by  which  the  early  vessels  entered  Cleveland, 
via  what  afterwards  was  called  "  the  old  river  bed,"  was 
uncertain,  because  of  the  bars  of  sand  which  rapidly  ac- 
cumulated at  the  mouth  of  the  Cuyahoga.  The  people  of 
Cleveland  began  to  agitate  an  improvement,  and  naturally 
looked  to  the  general  government  for  relief.  The  appeal 
was  not  in  vain,  and,  by  an  act  passed  by  Congress  on 
March  3rd,  1825,  five  thousand  dollars  were  appropriated 
to  the  building  of  a  pier  at  Cleveland.  This  ran  six  hun- 
dred feet  into  the  lake,  nearly  at  right  angles  with  the 
shore,  and  beginning  forty  rods  east  of  the  east  bank  of 
the  river  at  its  mouth.  This  brought  no  relief,  as  the 
sand  filled  in  as  rapidly  as  before.  Congress  was  per- 
suaded to  appropriate  an  additional  ten  thousand  dollars, 
and  in  1827,  Major  T.  W.  Maurice,  of  the  United  States 
engineer  corps,  prepared  a  plan  for  permanent  relief, 
which  the  government  adopted.  It  was  nothing  less  than 
the  opening  of  a  new  and  more  direct  channel,  at  a  point 
Avhere  the  bend  of  the  river  carried  it  near  to  the  lake 
shore.  A  dam  was  built  across  the  river,  opposite  the 
south  end  of  the  experimental  pier,  from  which  so  much 
had  been  expected  and  so  little  came.  When  the  rains 
came,  the  river  rose,  men  with  spades  and  teams  with 
scrapers  were  engaged  in  abundance,  and  a  trench  dug 
across  the  isthmus  from  the  river  to  the  lake.  With  the 
first  break  into  the  outlet,  the  force  of  the  water  itself 
came  into  play,  and  the  work  was  practically  done.  The 
next  spring  saw  the  commencement  of  the  eastern  pier. 
Eventually,  both  piers  were  carried  back  to  the  river,  and 
also  extended  into  the  lake :  Congress  makingf  successive 
appropriations  for  the  work.  By  1840,  over  seventy-five 
thousand  dollars  had  been  used  in  this  work,  but  a  good 
harbor  had  been  secured.  The  mouth  of  the  old  river 
bed  gradually  filled  up,  and  the  bed  itself  was  used  as  a 
place  of  anchorage  and  wharfage. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  20(^ 

Cleveland  not  only  saw  her  first  steam-boat  in  1818,  but 
her  first  newspaper  as  well.  On  the  31st  of  July,  the 
"  Cleaveland  Gazette  and  Comniereial  Register  "  made 
its  appearance.  In  its  prospectus  the  promivSe  was  made, 
that  it  should  appear  weekly,  but  that  promise  was  not 
always  kept,  sometimes  ten  days  or  two  weeks  elapsing 
between  days  of  publication.  It  was  edited  and  published 
by  Andrew  Logan, ^^  was  not  large  in  size,  and  was  man- 
aged with  considerable  ability  while  it  lived,  which  was 
only  during  the  year  of  its  birth,  or  perhaps  a  little  later. 

The  second  venture  in  Cleveland  journalism  resulted 
in  the  publication  of  a  newspaper,  that  had  a  long  and 
wonderful  career,  and  exerted  a  powerful  influence  all 
through  this  section  for  more  than  sixty  years.  The 
first  number  of  the  "  Cleaveland  Herald  "  was  issued 
on  October  19th,  1S19,  without  a  single  subscriber,  and 
under  difficulties  which  might  make  even  a  modern  pub- 
lisher quail.  Eber  D.  Howe,  whom  we  have  already 
quoted,  has  told  in  a  terse  and  graphic  manner  the  story 
of  that  venture,  and  as  direct  witnesses  are  always  to  be 
preferred  to  hearsay  narrators,  I  will  allow  him  to 
speak  for  himself:  "  I  commenced  loc^king  about  for  ma- 
terial aid  to  bring  about  my  plan  for  putting  in  operation 
the  '  Cleaveland  Herald. '  With  this  view,  I  went  to 
Erie,  and  conferred  with  my  old  friend  Willes,  who  had 
the  year  before  started  the  '  Erie  Gazette.'  After  due 
consultation  and  deliberation,  he  agreed  to  remove  his 
press  and  type  to  Cleveland  after  the  expiration  of  the 
first  year  in  that  place.  So,  on  the  19th  of  October, 
1 8 19,  without  a  single  subscriber,  the  first  number  of 
the  '  Cleaveland  Herald  '  was  issued.  Some  of  the  diffi- 
culties and  perplexities  now  to  be  encountered  inay  here 

^  "  The  '  Register  '  had  been  put  in  operation  by  Andrew  Logan,  who 
brought  his  press  and  type  from  Beaver,  Pa. ,  which  were  so  badly  worn 
(nearly  down  to  the  third  nick,  as  printers  say),  that  the  impressions  were 
nearly  illegible.  Mr.  Logan  was  a  very  small  man,  of  a  very  dark  com- 
plexion, and  was,  by  some,  said  to  be  a  lineal  descendant  of  the  famous 
Mingo  chief.  The  '  Register  '  was  discontinued  a  few  months  after  the 
establishment  of  the  '  Herald.'  " — Eber  D.  Howe,  in  "  Autobiography  and 
Recollections  of  a  Pioneer  Printer." 


2IO  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

be  mentioned,  as  matters  of  curiosity  to  the  present  gener- 
ation. Our  mails  were  then  all  carried  on  horse-back. 
We  had  one  mail  a  week  from  Buffalo,  Pittsburg,  Co- 
lumbus, and  Sandusky.  The  paper,  on  which  we  printed, 
was  transported  in  wagons  from  Pittsburg,  and  at  some 
seasons  the  roads  were  in  such  condition  that  it  was  im- 
possible to  procure  it  in  time  for  publication  days.  Ad- 
vance payments  for  newspapers  at  that  time  were  never 
thought  of.  In  a  few  weeks  our  subscription  list  amounted 
to  about  300,  at  which  point  it  stood  for  about  two  years, 
with  no  very  great  variation.  These  were  scattered  all  over 
the  AVestern  Reserve,  except  in  the  County  of  Trumbull. 
In  order  to  extend  our  circulation  to  its  greatest  capacity, 
we  were  obliged  to  resort  to  measures  and  expedients 
which  would  appear  rather  ludicrous  at  the  present  day. 
For  instance,  each  and  every  week,  after  the  paper  had 
been  struck  off,  I  mounted  a  horse,  with  a  valise,  filled 
with  copies  of  the  '  Herald,'  and  distributed  them  at  the 
doors  of  all  subscribers  between  Cleveland  and  Painesville, 
a  distance  of  thirty  miles,  leaving  a  package  at  the  latter 
place ;  and  on  returning  diverged  two  miles  to  what  is 
known  as  Kirtland  Flats,  where  another  package  was  left 
for  distribution,  which  occupied  fully  two  days.  I  fre- 
quently carried  a  tin  horn  to  notify  the  yeomanry  of  the 
arrival  of  the  latest  news,  which  was  generally  forty  days 
from  Europe  and  ten  days  from  New  York.  This  serv- 
ice was  performed  through  the  fall,  winter,  and  spring, 
and  through  rain,  snow,  and  mud,  with  only  one  addi- 
tional charge  of  fifty  cents  on  the  subscription  price ;  and 
as  the  number  of  papers  thus  carried  averaged  about 
sixty,  the  profits  may  be  readily  calculated.""*^'' 

At  the  end  of  two  years  of  this  hard  and  trying  labor, 
Mr.  Howe  ceased  his  connection  with  the  "  Herald,"  and 
Mr.  Willes  continued  its  publication.  For  some  thirteen 
years  it  occupied  the  journalistic  held  without  a  rival. 

The  decade  from  1 8 1  o  to  1 820,  was  one  of  quiet  but  steady 
growth  for  Ohio,  her  population  doubling  in  that  time, 

"*■'''  Autobiography  of  Eber  D.  Howe,  p.  23. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  sri 

and  reaching  over  a  half  million  at  the  date  last  named. 
Cheap  land  and  a  fruitful  soil,  with  the  hopeful  attraction 
of  a  promising  future,  had  invited  a  steady  immigration 
from  the  east.  The  Erie  Canal  had  stimulated  a  desire 
for  a  direct  connection  between  Lake  Erie  and  the  Ohio 
River:  in  i(S20,  the  first  legislative  steps  toward  that  end 
were  taken.  Cleveland  felt  the  reviving  and  encouraging 
effects  of  this  general  advance  in  the  State,  and  although 
she  was  not  to  emerge,  for  some  years,  from  the  uncer- 
tain prospects  of  villagehood,  we  find  evidences,  here  and 
there,  of  her  ambition  toward  larger  things. 

Cleveland  had,  in  her  earlier  days,  the  same  crude 
forms  of  transportation,  and  the  same  difficulties  to  face, 
as  confronted  her  pioneer  neighbors  everywhere,  except 
that  the  lake  gave  her  vessel  facilities  in  one  direction, 
and  the  Cuyahoga  River  in  another.  Overland  freight 
came  in  winter  by  sleighs,  and  in  summer  on  a  huge 
vehicle  called  a  "  Pennsylvania,"  or  "  Conestoga"  wagon, 
which  had  to  be  put  together  solidlv,  and  well  provided 
with  strong  horses,  to  overcome  the  difficulties  of  the 
pioneer  roads. 

As  compared  with  other  means  of  travel,  the  stage-coach 
was  the  palace  car  of  its  day.  Cleveland  took  a  long  stride 
upward,  when,  in  1820,  a  stage  line  connected  her  with 
Columbus:  in  the  autumn,  another  joined  her  to  Nor- 
walk.  Wagon  lines  were  established,  at  about  the  same 
time,  to  Pittsburg  and  Buft'alo.  The  conveyance  in 
which  passengers  to  Pittsburg  rode  has  been  dCvScribed 
to  the  writer,  as  "a  canvas  top,  set  solidly  on  a  springless 
wagon,  with  three  plain  boards  for  seats."  Passengers 
by  stage-coach,  in  summer,  had  a  comparatively  easy  time, 
but  in  the  spring  or  fall  their  lot  was  often  one  of  trouble. 
"  The  traveler,"  says  an  early  account,  "was  sure  to  be 
called  on  to  go  on  foot  a  large  portion  of  the  time,  and 
was  often  expected  to  shoulder  a  rail  and  carry  it  from 
mudhole  to  mudhole  to  pry  out  the  vehicle  in  which  he 
was,  in  theory,  supposed  to  be  riding." 

In    1823,  a  movement  was  set  on  foot  for  the   improve- 


212 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


ment  of  the  public  highways.  The  State  directed  the 
lavinir  out  of  a  "  free  road  "  from  Cleveland  to  the  Ohio 
River,  in  Columbiana  County.  A  movement  was  made 
in  the  same  year  to  turnpike  the  stage-road  running  to 
the  southwest,  and  as  a  result  the  Wayne,  Medina  &  Cuy- 
ahoga Turnpike  Company  came  into  being  and  did  good 
work,  making  one  of  the  best  highways  in  the  vState.  In 
1824,  another  State  road  was  laid  out,  running  from  Cleve- 
land alonof  the  line  now  known  as  Kinsman  street,  and 
out  through  Warrensville  and  Orange.  With  these  wagon 
and  stage  lines,  with  the  canal  when  opened,  and  with  the 
facilities  offered  by  the  lake,  the  traveling  public  was 
compelled  to  content  itself  until  the  dawning  of  the  great 
railroad  era. 

In  18 19,  Joel  Scranton  came  to  Cleveland,  and  soon  be- 
came one  of  the  prominent  merchants  of  the  place.  He 
brouirht  with  him  a  schooner  load  of  leather,  well  know- 
in  Of  that  he   had   something^  for  which  there    would  be  a 

demand.  In  the  same  year 
came  John  Blair,  from  his 
farm  home  in  Maryland, 
in  the  hope  of  gaining  a 
fortune  in  the  west.  As 
a  means  toward  that  end, 
he  carried  three  dollars  in 
his  pocket,  but  by  a  small 
and  lucky  speculation  in 
pork,  soon  increased  his 
capital,  and  before  long 
opened  a  produce  and  com- 
mission store  on  the  river. 
In  1820,  Peter  M.  Weddell 
arrived,  w^ent  into  business,  and  soon  made  himself  one 
of  the  leading  commercial  factors  of  Cleveland.  Michael 
Spangler  came  also,  and  his  "  Commercial  House  "  was 
for  some  years  one  of  the  landmarks  of  the  village. 

It  was  in  1820  that  Cleveland  saw  the  organization  of 
her  second  church  society,  and  the  commencement  of  a 


THK    "OLD    STONE    CHURCH"    OK    1834. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


213 


line  of  religious  work  that  has  steadily  increased  and 
broadened,  until  to-day  it  is  felt  for  the  general  good,  in 
many  directions.  On  the  19th  of  September  of  that  year, 
a  little  company  gathered  in  the  old  log  c()urt-hoiise,  and 
with  a  membership  of  but  fifteen,  organized  the  First 
Presbyterian  Church  of  Cleveland.'*^  Rev.  Randolph 
Stone,  pastor  of  a  Presbyterian  Church  at  Morgan,  Ashta- 


THE    "OLD    STONE    CHURCH"    OF    TO-DAY. 

bula  County,  had  been  engaged  previously,  by  several 
residents  of  Cleveland,  to  give  one-third  of  his  time  to 
this  place,  and  upon  the  organization  of  this  new  church 
he  became  its  minister.     Services  were  conducted  in  the 

*^  The  names  of  these  fifteen  were:  Elisha  Taylor,  and  Ann,  his  wife; 
T.  J.  Hamlin,  P.  B.  Andrews,  Sophia  L.  Perry,  Bertha  Johnson,  Sophia 
Walworth,  Mabel  How,  Henry  Baird,  and  Ann,  his  wife;  Rebecca  Carter, 
Juliana  Long,  Isabella  Williamson,  Harriet  How,  and  Minerva  Merwin. 


214  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

court-house  for  a  time :  then  were  held  in  the  newly- 
erected  brick  academy  building  on  St.  Clair  street.  In 
1827,  the  society  was  legally  incorporated  as  the  "First 
Presbyterian  Society  of  Cleveland,"  and  at  the  annual 
meeting  Samuel  Cowles  was  chosen  president,  D.  H. 
Beardsley  secretary,  and  P.  M.  Weddell  treasurer.  The 
first  building,  the  "  Old  Stone  Church,"  was  dedicated 
in  1834;  was  demolished  in  1853,  to  make  room  for  a  new 
edifice,  which  was  soon  burned  down.  It  was  followed 
by  the  erection  of  the  present  structure,  which  has  stood 
for  years  as  one  of  the  gospel  centers  of  Cleveland. ^^ 

Another  of  those  entertaining  pen-pictures  of  Cleve- 
land, which  have  been  so  wisely  and  carefully  gathered 
into  that  store-house  of  historical  treasures,  the  "An- 
nals "  of  Cuyahoga's  early  settlers,  has  been  drawn  by 
Judge  Rufus  P.  Spalding,"'''  of  the  year  whose  record  we 
have  now  reached:  "  In  the  month  of  March,  1823,  I  first 
saw  Cleveland.  I  came  from  Warren,  in  Trumbull  Coun- 
ty, where  I  then  lived,  in  the  company  of  Hon.  George 
Tod,  who  was  then  president  judge  of  the  third  judicial 
circuit,  which  embraced,  if  I  mistake  not,  the  whole 
Western  Reserve.  We  made  the  journey  on  horseback, 
and  were  nearly  two  days  in  accomplishing  it.  I  recol- 
lect the  Judge,  instead  of  an  overcoat,  wore  an  Indian 
blanket  drawn  over  his  head  by  means  of  a  hole  cut  in  the 
center.  We  came  to  attend  court,  and  put  up  at  the 
house  of  ]Mr.  ^Slerwin,  where  we  met  quite  a  number  of 
lawyers  from  adjacent  counties.  At  this  time  the  village 
of  Warren,  where  I  lived,  was  considered  as  altogether 
ahead  of  Cleveland  in  importance ;  indeed,  there  was  very 
little  of  Cleveland,  at  that  day,  east  and  southeast  of  the 
Public  Square.     The  population  was   estimated   at    foiir 

^^  The  seventy-fifth  anniversary  of  the  church  was  celebrated  with  ap- 
propriate ceremonies  in  1S95,  commencing  on  Sunday,  October  20th.  A 
full  account  of  these  may  be  found  in  a  work  entitled:  "  Annals  of  the 
First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Cleveland,  1820-1895.  Being  Sermons  and 
Papers  called  out  by  the  Celebration  of  her  Seventy-fifth  Aianiversary. ' ' 
1895- 

**■'  "Annals  of  the  Early  Settlers'  Association,"  No.  i,  p.  42. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


215 


hundred  souls.  The  earliest  burying-ground  was  at  the 
present  intersection  of  Prospect  and  Ontario  streets. 
Some  years  afterwards,  in  riding  away  from  Cleveland,  in 
the  stage-coach,  I  passed  the  Erie  street  cemetery,  just 
then  laid  out.  I  recollect  it  excited  my  surprise  that  a 
site  for  a  burying-ground  should  be  selected  so  far  out  of 
town.  The  court  that  I  attended  on  my  first  visit,  was 
held  in  the  old  court-house,  that  stood  on  the  northwest 
quarter  of  the  Public  Square.  The  presiding  judge  was 
the  Hon.  George  Tod,  a  well-read  lawyer  and  a  courteous 
gentleman,  the  father  of  our  late  patriotic  governor,  David 
Tod.  The  associate  judges  of  the  Common  Pleas  Court 
were  Hon.  Thomas  Card  and  Hon.  Samuel  Williamson. 
Horace  Perry  was  clerk,  and  Jas.  S.  Clarke,  sheriff.  The 
lawyers  attending  court  were  Alfred  Kelley,  then  acting 
prosecuting  attorney  for  the  county ;  Leonard  Case,  Samuel 
Cowles,  Reuben  Wood  and  John  W.  AVilley,  of  Cleve- 
land; Samuel  W.  Phelps  and  vSamuel  AVheeler,  of 
Geauga;  Jonathan  Sloane,  of  Portage,  Elisha  Whittlesey, 
Thomas  D.  Webb,  and  R.  P. 
Spalding,  of  Trumbull  County. 
John  Blair  was  foreman  of  the 
grand  jury." 

Judge  Spalding's  visit,  this 
time,  was  only  temporary.  It 
w^as  years  afterwards  that  he 
became  an  honored  citizen  of 
Cleveland,  where  he  remained 
until  the  close  of  his  life. 
There  arrived  at  about  this 
time,  however,  a  gentleman 
who  became  one  of  the  busi- 
ness   men  of    the  village,    and 

was  soon  recognized  as  an  addition  of  which  Cleveland 
had  reason  to  be  proud.  This  was  Richard  Hilliard, 
who  was  a  moving  spirit  in  his  day,  and  gave  to 
the  young  and  struggling  village  a  service  of  value  in 
many  ways.     He  was  of  New  York  birth,  was  well  edu- 


R.    P.     SPALDING. 


£l6 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


cated,  and.  had  spent  some  portion  of  his  young  manhood 
in  school  teaching.  He  went  into  business  with  John 
Daly  at  Black  Rock,  but  removed  to  Cleveland,  where,  in 
1827,  he  purchased  his  partner's  interest,  and  carried  on 
the  business  alone.  He  was  located  on  Superior  street, 
where  the  old  Atwater  Building  used  to  stand,  and  soon 
built  up  a  large  dry-goods  and  grocery  trade.  He  formed 
a  partnership  with  William  Hayes,  and  for  some  years 
the  firm  of  Hilliard  &  Hayes  carried  on  a  profitable  busi- 
ness. Feeling  the  need  of  better  accommodations.  ]\Ir. 
Hilliard  built  a  brick  block  on  Water  street,  at  the  corner 
of  Frankfort,  moved  into  it,  and  extended  his  operations 
still  further.  In  company  with  Courtland  Palmer,  of  Xew 
York,  and  Edwin  Clark,  of  Cleveland,  he  purchased  a 
large  tract  of  land  on  the  flats,  and  aided  in  opening  that 

part  of  the  city  to  manufacturing 
purposes.  In  his  labor  in  con- 
nection with  the  creation  of 
Cleveland's  system  of  water- 
works, as  president  of  the  incor- 
porated village,  and  as  one  of  the 
promoters  of  the  city's  railroad 
system,  he  gave  a  service  of 
great  value.  He  died  on  Decem- 
ber 2 1  St,  1856,  leaving  a  name 
which  deserves  the  high  place 
it  holds  in  the  history  of  com- 
mercial Cleveland. 

There  were  several  other 
notable  names  added  to  the  lengthening  roll  of  Cleve- 
landers  about  this  time.  Among  these  were  John  W. 
Allen,  Sherlock  J.  Andrews  and  David  H.  Beardsley. 
Each  one  became  identified  with  public  interests,  and 
lived  to  see  a  great  city  grow  up  about  him.  The  serv- 
ices rendered  by  Mr.  Allen  were  conspicuously  useful. 
He  was  born  at  Litchfield,  Connecticut,  in  1802,  the 
son  of  a  lawyer,  who  gave  him  a  good  education.  He 
.came    here    in    1825,    studied    law    with    Judge    Samuel 


JOHN    \V.     ALLEN. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  217 

Cowles,  and  became  a  member  of  the  Cleveland  bar. 
From  1 83 1  to  1835.  he  was  annually  elected  village 
president.  In  1841,  he  became  mayor.  He  was 
elected  to  the  Ohio  Senate  in  1835;  -'^^nt  to  Congress  in 
1836,  and  re-elected  two  years  later.  He  was  a  Whig  in 
politics;  became  the  intimate  friend  of  Henry  Clay,  and 
continued  to  act  with  that  political  organization  until  the 
formation  of  the  Republican  party,  when  he  gave  his  ad- 
hesion to  the  new  faith.  In  1870,  he  was  appointed  post- 
master of  Cleveland  by  President  Grant,  was  reappointed 
in  1874,  and  resigned  the  following  year.  We  have 
already  noted  his  appointment  as  one  of  the  first  commis- 
sioners of  the  State  Bank  of  Ohio ;  and  at  a  later  point 
will  find  him  one  of  the  moving  spirits  in  the  building  of 
our  first  railways.  Of  him  it  has  been  truly  said :  "Mr. 
Allen  was  remarkable  for  the  refinement  and  dignity  of 
his  face  and  person.  His  manners  were  courteous  and 
friendly.  His  heart  was  always  open  to  the  calls  of  be- 
nevolence, and  his  ready  hand  and  timely  aid  secured  the 
prosperity  of  many  a  young  man  who  otherwise  might 
have  failed  entirely.  The  early  settlers  of  Cleveland, 
who  knew  him  as  one  of  the  foremost  and  most  dis- 
tinguished of  our  citizens,  will  recall  the  great  debt  of 
gratitude  the  city  owes  him,  for  his  untiring,  unselfish 
labors  in  its  behalf,  and  will  honor  his  memorv  as  it  de- 
serves."      Mr.  Allen  died  on  October  5th,  1887. 

Sherlock  J.  Andrews  came  in  the  same  year  as  Mr. 
Allen.  He  was  a  native  of  Wallingford,  Connecticut, 
where  he  was  born  in  1801  ;  was  liberally  educated; 
graduated  from  Union  College  in  1821;  and  came  to 
Cleveland  in  1825,  where  he  commenced  the  practice  of 
the  law  in  connection  with  Samuel  Cowles.  He  was  af- 
terwards associated  in  the  same  manner  with  two  other 
honored  citizens  of  Cleveland,  John  A.  Foot  and  James 
M.  Hoyt.  In  1840.  he  was  elected  to  Congress,  but  ill- 
health  compelled  him  to  decline  a  renomination.  He  was 
elected  judge  of  the  Superior  Court  of  Cleveland  in  1848; 
in    the   next   vear  was  chosen  a  member  of  the  conven- 


2i8  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

tion  to  revise  the  eonstitiition  of  the  State;  and  in  1873 
was  sent  to  a  second  convention  called  for  the  same 
purpose.  He  rendered  valuable  service  to  the  public  in 
all  these  responsible  positions;  was  a  brilliant  advocate, 
a  model  judge,  a  cultured,  high-minded  gentleman.  He 
died  at  his  home  in  Cleveland,  on  February  iith,  i<S8o. 

David  H.  Beardsley,  who  was  born,  in  1789,  at  New 
Preston,  Conn.,  and  died  in  Cleveland  in  1870,  came  to 
this  city  in  1826.  He  had  previously  lived  at  Lower  San- 
dusky (now  Fremont),  Ohio,  where  he  served  as  a  judge, 
and  a  member  of  the  Ohio  Legislature.  In  1827,  he  was 
appointed  collector  for  the  Ohio  Canal  at  this  point.  He 
continued  in  that  position  for  a  score  of  years ;  the  most 
of  the  commerce  of  Cleveland  passing  through  his  hands. 
So  valuable  were  his  services,  that  no  matter  how  the 
political  fortunes  of  those  in  charge  of  the  public  works 
of  Ohio  might  change,  he  remained  in  his  office  undis- 
turbed. "  His  integrity,"  says  one  biographer,-**^  who 
knew  him  well,  "was  the  great  feature  of  his  character. 
During  all  those  years  that  he  transacted  the  business  of 
the  State,  and  in  the  numerous  accounts  rendered  by  him, 
which  amounted  to  thousands,  and  in  the  amount  of 
money  collected  to  about  $1,400,000,  not  an  error,  either 
large  or  small,  was  ever  detected  in  his  accounts.  Hav- 
ing remained  many  years  in  his  office,  and  feeling  finally 
that  some  other  business  would  be  more  conofenial  to 
him,  he  voluntarily  retired."  Mr.  Beardsley  afterwards 
rendered  Cleveland  valuable  service  in  connection  with 
the  public  water- works,  and  as  one  of  the  sinking  fund 
commissioners. 

A  new  era  lay  just  before  the  Cleveland  of  1824;  and 
the  year  that  followed  was,  in  one  sense,  the  turning  point 
in  the  fortunes  of  the  city.  Many  signs  of  progress  had 
been  shown  during  the  decade  that  had  just  ended,  btit 
none  of  them  guaranteed  anything  beyond  a  continuation 
of  the  same  modest  village-hood  that  marked  a  half-dozen 

■**  "  Life  and  Character  of  David  H.  Beardsley,"  by  Hon.  J.  P.  Bishop. — 
"  Annals  of  the  Early  Settlers'  Association,"  No.  2,  p.  47. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  2ig 

rivals  and  neighbors  along  the  shore  of  the  lake.  Stage- 
coaches made  the  town  a  point  of  stoppage ;  the  mails 
came  with  due  regularity;  two  churches  had  been  estab- 
lished ;  there  was  one  live  newspaper,  and  the  remains  of 
another  that  had  departed.  The  seat  of  justice  and  the 
jail  were  here  yet,  but  Newburg  had  by  no  means  given 
up  hope  of  securing  them  both.  In  lake  traffic  the  town 
was  fairly  represented,  but  Grand  River,  Black  River,  and 
Conneaut  Creek  were  by  no  means  certain  that  their  future 
was  less  brilliant  than  that  of  the  Cuyahoga.  Forests 
and  wild  country  lay  all  about  her;  the  logging  bee 
was  still  a  regular  social  feature  out  on  the  Euclid 
road;  stuinps,  and  briars,  and  underbrush,  were  among 
the  things  that  yet  adorned  portions  of  the  Public 
Square. 

The  real  growth  of  the  city  commenced,  only,  after  the 
building  of  the  Ohio  Canal.  The  modern  traveler,  who 
comes  down  to  the  foot  of  South  Water  street,  in  a  rail- 
road car,  may  not  realize  that  beneath  the  rails,  over 
which  he  passes,  lies  the  bed  of  what  was  once  the  central 
artery  of  Cleveland's  traffic  and  travel. 

The  canal  was,  at  one  time,  the  main  topic  discussed  by 
those  who  advocated  internal  iinprovements,  and  occu- 
pied the  public  attention  as  fully  as  did  the  railroad  at  a 
later  date. 

With  the  powers  of  steam  but  little  known,  it  was  nat- 
ural that  this  should  be  the  case.  The  benefits  obtained 
by  use  of  the  natural  waterways,  led  men  of  a  pro- 
gressive and  inquiring  turn  of  mind  to  ask  themselves : 
Why  not  take  a  hint  from  nature,  and  pattern  ourselves 
upon  her  model?  If  she  has  given  us  the  Rhine,  the 
Thames,  the  Mississippi,  why  cannot  we  have  our  artifi- 
cial rivers  of  water,  to  join  those  cities  and  aid  those  in- 
terests for  which  she  has  done  so  little?  All  countries 
cannot  be  Holland,  nor  all  cities  Venice,  but  leaves  can 
be  taken  from  the  book  of  experience  recorded  by  each. 
So  they  set  themselves  to  work ;  and  how  well  they  suc- 
ceeded,  can  be  read,  somewhat,  by  the  results  produced 


230  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

before  the  days  of  canal  decadence,  near  the  middle  of  the 
present  century. 

The  real  era  of  modern  canal  building  may  be  said  to 
have  opened  in  England  about  1761,  when  the  Duke  of 
Bridgewater  presented  a  petition  for  a  bill  that  would  per- 
mit the  construction  of  the  great  canal  that  bears  his 
name.  By  1823,  the  canals  of  the  United  Kingdoin  had 
reached  a  total  length  of  2,682^  miles,  and  the  cost  had 
reached  over  thirty  million  pounds  sterling. 

The  matter  received  serious  consideration  upon  this 
side  of  the  sea  at  an  early  date.  It  would  be  difficult  to 
name  any  one  person  to  whom  belongs  the  honor  of  orig- 
inating the  canal  system  of  America.  General  Philip 
Schuyler,  who  won  distinction  in  the  Revolutionary  Army, 
was  certainly  one  of  the  original  movers  in  that  direction, 
and  contributed  much  toward  the  bringing  about  of  im- 
portant results.  In  1 761,  he  was  sent  to  England  upon 
public  business,  and  while  there  examined  the  Bridge- 
water  Canal,  which  had  been  recently  completed.  Upon 
his  return  home  he  dwelt  with  enthusiasm  upon  the  sub- 
ject, and  naturally  cast  about  for  directions  in  which  a 
like  enterprise,  and  a  similar  triumph  of  engineering, 
could  be  made  to  redound  to  the  credit  and  good  of 
America.  It  was  not  long  before  he  suggested  an  artificial 
connection  between  Lake  Champlain  and  the  Hudson 
River. 

The  great  war  came  on,  and  during  it  and  the  period  of 
recuperation  of  energy  and  finances  that  followed,  not 
■even  so  earnest  a  canal  disciple  as  Schuyler,  could  find 
the  heart  to  suggest  much  beyond  an  occasional  note, 
that  the  matter  might  not  be  lost  sight  of  altogether. 
Others  had  ere  this  given  the  theme  an  attention  not 
wholly  of  a  speculative  character,  and  among  these  was 
Elkanah  Watson,  who  paid  a  visit  to  Mount  Vernon  in 
1785,  where  he  "  found  the  mind  of  Washington  engaged 
in  a  project  for  connecting  the  waters  of  the  Potomac 
with  those  west  of  the  Alleghany  Mountains,  by  a  canal, 
in   order  to  divert  the  extensive  fur  trade  from  Detroit 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  221 

to  Alexandria,  which  was  then  almost  exclusively  en- 
joyed by  Montreal."  The  result  was  a  renewed  inter- 
est and  energy  on  the  part  of  Watson,  and  the  production 
of  some  practical  rCvSults. 

In  1788,  Watson  proceeded  to  the  head  of  navigation 
on  the  Mohawk  River,  at  Fort  Schuyler  (now  Rome),  New 
York,  and  was  there  impressed  with  the  feasibility  of  an 
artificial  water  connection  between  the  Hudson  River — 
which  meant  a  direct  route  to  the  ocean — and  Lake  On- 
tario, which  would  open  the  whole  basin  of  the  great 
lakes,  by  the  following  route :  A  canal  from  Wood  Creek 
to  Oneida  Lake,  and  thence  down  the  Onondaga  River 
to  Oswego,  on  Lake  Ontario. 

The  idea  was  slowly  but  surely  worked  out  through  cal- 
culations, conferences  with  General  Schuyler  and  other 
enthusiasts,  and  the  sounding  of  the  opinions  of  those 
by  whose  private  capital  any  such  undertaking  must  be 
achieved.  By  1792,  public  and  private  opinion  had  ar- 
rived at  a  point  to  permit  the  taking  of  a  definite  step. 
Accordingly,  the  Legislature  of  New  York  passed  an  act 
by  which  two  companies  were  chartered — the  Western 
Inland  Lock  Navigation  Company  and  the  Northern  In- 
land Lock  Navigation  Company.  General  Schuyler  was 
made  president  of  both  these  organizations. 

Both  proposed  routes  were  explored  and  work  upon 
them  commenced  in  1793.  The  western  canal  was  never 
completed,  according  to  its  original  design,  but  a  greater 
than  it  was  opened  to  commerce  along  the  same  route  at 
a  later  day.  Gouverneur  Morris  was  one  of  the  inspiring 
vSpirits  that  carried  forward  the  work  begun  by  vSchuyler 
and  Watson.  It  was  largely  by  his  influence  that  New 
York  was  led,  in  18 10,  to  appoint  a  board  of  canal  commis- 
sioners, of  which  he  was  made  chairman;  and  the  work, 
which  ended  in  the  completion  of  the  great  Erie  Canal, 
was  practically  commenced  and  thence  pushed  with  no 
hesitation  as  to  the  amount  of  energy,  toil  and  money 
needed  for  the  completion  of  the  task. 

Upon  the  appointment  of  the  canal  commissioners  of 


222  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

New  York,  above  referred  to,  they  found  an  efficient  and 
able  ally  in  DeWitt  Clinton,  who,  with  others,  was  ap- 
pointed in  1 8 12  to  lay  the  matter  of  the  proposed  canal 
before  the  general  government,  with  a  view  that  Con- 
gress should  undertake  it  as  a  national  work.  The  sug- 
gestion was  not  adopted ;  while  the  declaration  of  war  with 
England  delayed  the  pushing  of  the  enterprise  by  the 
State,  the  party  most  interested  in  the  results.  When 
Clinton  was  elected  governor  in  i8i6,  he  found  his  occa- 
sion, and  made  the  most  able  and  earnest  use  of  the 
power  and  influence  thus  placed  in  his  hands.  He  worked 
day  and  night,  was  zealous  in  season  and  out  of  season, 
and  saw  the  great  enterprise  not  only  commenced  but 
completed  and  dedicated  forever  to  the  public  use.  The 
cost  of  the  canal  was  $7,602,000,  all  of  which  was  borne 
by  the  State  of  New  York. 

This  experiment,  upon  the  part  of  New  York,  and  its 
successful  conclusion,  naturally  had  its  effect  upon  other 
sections  of  the  country.  Ohio  was  especially  interested, 
and  the  first  steps  toward  a  like  system  were  taken  before 
the  completion  of  the  New  York  enterprise.  Legislation 
was  had,  as  early  as  1820,  looking  towards  the  construc- 
tion of  a  canal  to  connect  Lake  Erie  and  the  Ohio  River. 
On  January  31st,  1822,  a  law  was  passed  by  the  State 
Legislature  authorizing  an  examination  into  the  practica- 
bility of  the  scheme,  and  the  commissioners  named  in  the 
act  for  the  carrying  out  of  that  measure  were  Benjamin 
Tappan,  Alfred  Kelley,  Thomas  Worthington,  Ethan  A. 
Brown,  Jeremiah  Morrow,  Isaac  Minor,  and  Ebenezer 
Buckingham.  After  the  preliminary  steps  had  been 
taken,  Mr.  Kelley  and  Micajah  T.  Williams  were  made 
acting  commissioners,  and  the  canals  were  constructed 
under  their  direct  control.  With  full  credit  to  all  others 
who  had  a  part  in  the  work,  it  can  be  truthfully  said  that 
no  words  can  overestimate  the  part  ]Mr.  Kelley  had  there- 
in.     The  following  pertinent  quotation  tells  the  tale: 

"  The   Ohio   Canal  is  a  monument  to  the  enterprise, 
energy,  integrity  and  sagacity  of  Alfred  Kelley.     He  was 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  233 

acting  commissioner  during  its  construction,  and  the  oner- 
ous and  responsible  service  was  performed  with  such  fidel- 
ity and  economy  that  the  actual  cost  did  not  exceed  the 
estimate.  The  dimensions  of  the  Ohio  Canal  were  the 
same  as  those  of  the  Erie  Canal  of  New  York,  but  the  num- 
ber of  locks  was  nearly  double.  The  Erie  Canal  is  363 
miles  in  length,  and  its  total  co.st  was  $7, 143,789,  or  cost  per 
mile,  $19,679.  The  Ohio  Canal  is  307  miles  in  length;  its 
total  cost  was  $4,695,824,  or  cost  per  mile,  $15,300,  being 
less  than  that  of  any  other  canal  constructed  on  this  conti- 
nent. The  Ohio  Canal  was  finished  about  1830.  The 
labor,  with  the  facilities  then  existing  for  the  conducting 
of  public  enterprise,  was  Herculean,  but  ]\Ir.  Kelle3^'s  in- 
domitable will  and  iron  constitution  and  physique  tri- 
umphed over  all  difficulties.  Mr.  Kelley  neither  charged 
nor  received  any  pay  for  his  first  year's  services  in  super- 
intending the  preliminary  explorations  and  surveys  for 
the  Ohio  Canal,  and  while  engaged  in  the  great  labor  of 
building  the  canal,  received  only  a  salary  of  three  dollars 
per  day.     Surely,  it  was  not  the  money  he  worked  for!  " 

The  commissioners,  above  named,  set  themselves  earn- 
estly to  the  great  work  they  had  in  hand.  They  emplo3^ed 
James  Geddes,  of  Onondaga  County,  New  York,  as  engi- 
neer, and  he  arrived  at  Columbus,  the  State  Capital,  in  June, 
1822.  He  began  an  examination  of  the  various  proposed 
routes,  ably  assisted  by  Mr.  Kelley  and  his  staff,  and  con- 
tinued it  during  the  whole  of  1823-24;  and  in  1825  the  route 
was  established.  It  was  to  commence  at  Cleveland  and  end 
at  Portsmouth,  on  the  Ohio  River,  a  distance  of  three  hun- 
dred and  fifty  miles.  The  personal  preference  of  Mr.  Kel- 
ley naturally  had  considerable  to  do  with  giving  Cleveland 
the  wonderful  advantage  which  this  decision  secured. 

When  everything  was  ready  for  the  opening  of  the  work, 
preparations  were  made  for  an  inauguration  in  keeping 
with  the  greatness  of  the  event.  An  invitation  was  extended 
to  DeWitt  Clinton  to  be  present  and  break  ground  at  the 
spot  designated  for  the  commencement,  on  Licking  sum- 
mit, some  three  miles  west  of  Newark,  in  Licking  County. 


224  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

The   date   set    for  the    ceremony   was    July    4th,     1825, 
Governor  Clinton   accepted  the  invitation,    and    stated 
that  he  would  reach  Cleveland  on  the  last  day  of  June. 

Extensive  preparations  were  made  for  his  arrival.  It 
was  not  known  whether  he  would  come  by  stagecoach  or 
boat.  When  the  first  named  means  of  conveyance  arrived 
without  him,  all  Cleveland  went  down  to  the  bluff  to  watch 
for  the  "  Superior,"  which  was  then  due.  The  story  of 
his  arrival  and  reception  has  been  told  by  an  eye-witness  '*•' 
in  a  manner  that  cannot  be  improved  upon,  so  I  give 
it  in  full:  "  It  was  a  heavenly  day,  not  a  cloud  in  the 
sky,  the  lake  calm  as  the  river,  its  glistening  bosom  re- 
flecting the  fierce  rays  of  an  almost  tropical  sun ;  she  [the 
'  Superior']  soon  passed  Water  street,  dressed  with  all  her 
flags,  and  came  to  anchor  about  a  mile  opposite  the  mouth 
of  the  river,  and  fired  her  usual  signal  gun.  Her  com- 
mander. Captain  Fisk,  ordered  the  steps  to  be  let  down 
and  her  yawl  boat  to  be  placed  alongside  of  them;  then, 
taking  Governor  Clinton  by  the  hand,  seated  him  in  the 
stern  of  the  boat,  and  was  followed  by  his  aids.  Colonel 
Jones,  Colonel  Read,  and  Colonel  Solomon  Van  Renssel- 
aer, who  had  traversed  the  State  when  a  wilderness,  as  an 
officer,  under  General  Wayne ;  Messrs.  Rathbone  and 
Lord,  who  had  loaned  us  the  money  with  which  to  com- 
mence the  canal,  and  Judge  Conkling,  United  States  Dis- 
trict Judge,  of  New  York.  They  came  up  the  river,  the 
Stars  and  Stripes  waving  over  them,  and  landed  at  the  foot 
of  Superior  street,  where  the  reception  committee  with 
carriages  and  a  large  concourse  of  citizens  awaited  them 
and  took  them  to  the  Mansion  House,  then  kept  by  my 
father,  where  Governor  Clinton  was  addressed  by  the 
late  Judge  Samuel  Cowles,  who  had  been  selected  by  the 
committee  to  make  the  reception  address.  Governor  Clin- 
ton made  an  eloquent  reply.  In  a  part  of  his  remarks  he 
made  the  statement,  '  that  when  our  canals  were  made, 
even  if  they  had  cost  five  million  dollars,  they  would  be 

^^  "  Governor  Clinton  and  the  Ohio  Canal,"  by   George    B.   Merwin,— 
"  Annals  of  the  Early  Settlers'  Association,"  No.  6,  p.  38. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


worth  three  times  that  sum ;  that  the  increased  price  of 
our  productions,  in  twenty  years  would  be  worth  five 
million  of  dollars;  that  the  money  saved  on  the  transpor- 
tation of  goods,  to  our  people,  during  the  same  period, 
would  be  five  million  of  dollars,  and  that  the  canals  would 
finally  pay  their  tolls,  refund  their  entire  cost,  principal 
and  interest.'  DeWitt  Clinton  was  a  man  of  majestic 
presence.  In  his  person  he  was  large  and  robust,  his 
forehead  high  and  broad,  his  hair  black  and  curly,  and  his 
eyes  large,  black  and  brilliant,  and,  take  him  all  in  all, 
looked  as  though  he  Avas  born  to  command. 

The  inauguration  was  accompanied  by  appropriate  cere- 
monies. Governor  Clinton  himself  turning  the  first  spade- 
ful of  earth.  The  work  of  construction  was  pushed  rapid- 
ly forward,  and  the  canal  was  ready  for  practical  naviga- 
tion, as  far  south  as  Akron,  bv  mid-summer  of  1827. 

The  formal  opening  was  marked  by  the  usual  festivi- 
ties, which  occurred  in  July — one  account  says  on  the 
4th,  but  Mr.  Merwin  places  it  on  the  7th.  The  two  north- 
ernmost locks,  which  connected  the  canal  with  the  Cuya- 
hoga at  Cleveland,  were  not  completed,  and  the  question 
arose  as  to  how  a  boat  from  this  end  of  the  line  could  be 
got  past  the  locks,  and  go  southward  to  meet  one  coming 
from  the  other  way. 

Active  Xoble  H.  ^lerwin  found  a  way  of  solving  that 
difficulty.  He  had  gone  to  Buffalo,  purchased  the  canal 
boat  "  Pioneer,"  had  it  towed  to  Cleveland,  and  taken 
up  the  river  to  a  convenient  point,  where  teams  hauled  it 
over  the  bank  into  the  canal.  xA.  party  of  leading  citizens 
went  aboard,  and  the  boat  was  soon  on  its  way  toward 
Akron.  They  soon  met  the  "Allen  Trimble" — so 
named  in  honor  of  the  governor  of  the  State,  who  was 
aboard,  as  were  also  the  vState  canal  commissioners,  and 
other  prominent  officials. 

Salutes  were  fired,  flags  flung  to  the  breeze,  speeches 
made,  and  a  day  of  genuine  rejoicing  indulged  in.  Both 
boats  came  back  to  Cleveland,  where  a  banquet  was 
served  under  a  bower  at  the  Mansion  House,  followed  by 


226  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

a  grand  ball  in  the  evening,  where  Sherlock  J.  Andrews 
and  John  W.  Allen  served  with  CM.  Giddings,  H.  H. 
Sizer  and  William  Lemon  as  managers. ^"^ 

In  a  business  way,  the  effect  of  this  new  water  highway 
was  immediate  and  beneficial.  It  made  Cleveland  the 
principal  place  in  Ohio,  on  Lake  Erie,  and  enlarged  the 
possibilities  of  lake  travel  and  freightage  by  providing  a 
means  of  carriage  into  the  State,  and  on  to  the  south  by 
means  of  the  Ohio  and  the  Mississippi  rivers.  A  large 
section  of  country  was  provided  with  an  outlet  for  grain 
and  produce  hardly  marketable  before, ^^  and  general 
business  received  a  marked  stimulus.  Cleveland  had 
secured  a  great  advantage  over  all  her  rivals,  and  settlers 
and  capital  came  to  her  in  a  steadily  increasing  stream. 

There  was  one  result,  immediate  in  its  nature,  which 
had  not  been  anticipated,  and  that  for  a  time  bade  fair  to 
do  the  city  great  harm.  In  July  and  August  a  severe 
epidemic  of  typhoid  fever  swept  over  Cleveland,  and  it  was 
charged  to  the  malaria  arising  from  digging  the  canal 
basin.  Seventeen  deaths  occurred  in  less  than  two 
months.  "  A  terrible  depression  of  spirits  and  stagnation 
of  business  ensued,"  writes  Ara  Sprague,  in  the  com- 
munication from  which  we  have  already  quoted.  "  The 
whole  corporation  could  have  been  bought  for  what  one 
lot  would  now  cost  on  Superior  street.  For  two  months 
I  gave  up  all  business ;  went  from  house  to  house  to  look 
after  the  sick  and  their  uncared-for  business.'  People  were 
generally  discouraged  and  anxious  to  leave." 

=°  Statement  made  by  Mrs.  George  B.  Merwin:  "  The  completion  of 
the  Ohio  Canal  was  celebrated  by  a  great  ball  at  the  IVIansion  House,  kept 
by  James  Belden.  I  attended  with  my  parents  and  sat  awhile  in  the  lap 
of  Gov.  Allen  Trimble,  who  had  honored  the  occasion  by  his  presence.  It 
took  all  the  men,  women  and  children  in  the  village  who  danced,  to  make 
enough  for  a  set  of  contradances,  or  quadrilles." — "  Annals  of  the  Early 
Settlers'  Association,"  No.  i,  p.  73. 

5'  The  canal  was  completed  through  to  the  Ohio  River  in  1832.  In 
two  years,  thereafter,  the  freight  carried  upon  it  amounted  to  half  a  mil- 
lion bushels  of  wheat,  a  hundred  thousand  barrels  of  flour,  a  million 
pounds  of  butter,  with  nearly  seventy  thousand  pounds  of  cheese,  besides 
a  large  amount  of  general  merchandise. 


CHAPTER   X. 

SOME    YEARS    OF    STEADY    GROWTH. 

The  canal  was  well  tinder  way,  but  not  yet  completed, 
when  Cleveland  began  to  feel  the  need  of  enlargement  in 
several  directions.  She  had  awakened  to  the  belief  that 
metropolitan  honors  were  within  her  grasp,  and  that  it 
was  the  part  of  patriotism  and  good  business  judgment  to 
live  up  to  her  opportunities. 

In  the  first  place,  it  was  generally  agreed  that  the  old 
court-house  and  jail  were  outgrown.  The  rude  structure, 
down  in  one  corner  of  the  Public  Square,  had  done  well 
enough  for  the  days  of  small  misdemeanors  and  petty  liti- 
gations, but  now  the  larger  affairs  of  a  growing  county- 
seat,  needed  better  housing  and  greater  protection. 

When  the  subject  was  firsst  brought  into  discussion  by 
the  Cuyahoga  tax-payers,  the  dormant  ambition  of  New- 
burg  was  aroused,  and  the  old  claim  put  forward.  The 
sturdy  dwellers  in  that  modern  iron  center  had  never 
given  up  their  hope  of  earlier  days;  in  their  opinion  the 
decisive  time  had  come  when  the  question  ought  to  be 
settled  for  all  time,  and  before  any  more  public  money 
was  expended  in  Cleveland.  The  battle  was  fought  out 
to  the  end,  and  was  the  last  one  of  which  we  shall  hear,  in 
the  history  of  these  two  places  that  have  now  become  one. 

There  were  three  county  commissioners  by  whom  the 
question  must  be  decided.  One  of  them  was  removed  by 
death,  and  it  was  found  that  the  other  two  were  equally 
divided,  one  favoring  Newburg-,  and  the  other  Cleveland. 
An  election  was  held  in  1826  to  fill  the  vacancy.  It  was 
one  of  the  hottest  and  most  exciting  that  had  as  yet  been 
seen  in  that  section,  all  other  issues  being  swallowed  up 
in  this  great  question.  Dr.  David  Long,  the  Cleveland 
nominee,  was  elected  by  a  small  majority,  and  Cleveland's 
last  struggle  with  Xewburg  was  won. 


228 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


The  building  was  planned,  and  work  upon  it  soon  com- 
meneed.  It  was  located  in  the  southwest  corner  of  the 
Public  Square.  It  was  finished  in  1828,  and  on  October 
28th,  of  that  year,  court  was  first  held  within  it.  Here, 
the  public  judicial  and  administrative  business  of  Cuya- 
hogfa  County  was  carried  on  for  nearly  thirty  years.  It  was 
two  stories  high,  of  brick,  .surmounted  by  a  wooden  dome, 
faced  the  lake,  and  was  entered  by  a  half-dozen  steps, 
front  and  rear.      The  lower  story  was  divided  into  offices 

for  use  of  the  county  officials, 
while  the  upper  floor  was 
used  for  court  purposes.  Two 
or  three  years  later  a  sub- 
stantial stone  jail  was  erected 
in  the  rear  of  the  court-house 
and  across  the  street  —  a 
structure  that,  from  its  som- 
bre appearance,  was  usually 
called  "the  blue  jug." 

Another  advance  step  was 
taken  in  this  same  year,  1826, 
when  arrangements  were  made  for  a  larger  and  more  dis- 
tant cemetery  than  the  original  burying-ground  which 
was  laid  out,  on  Ontario  street,  in  Cleveland's  very  early 
days,  when  David  Eldridge's  body  was  laid  within  it. 
Grounds  were  secured  out  where  Erie  street  now  runs, 
and  the  City  Cemetery,  as  it  was  first  called,  was  dedi- 
cated  to  its  uses.  The  name  w^as  changed,  afterwards,  to 
the  Erie  vStreet  Cemetery,  and  for  many  years  it  was 
Cleveland's  chief  place  of  burial.  At  first  it  comprised 
but  two  acres,  but  was  afterwards  enlarged  to  ten.  Its 
first  interment  was  in  September,  182 7, when  Minerva  M., 
the  daughter  of  Moses  and  Mary  White,  was  laid  away  to 
her  eternal  rest.  No  regular  register  of  the  sale  of  lots, 
or  even  of  burials,  was  kept  before  1840,  in  which  year 
the  whole  tract  was  replatted,  and  a  complete  record 
opened  and  kept  up  thereafter. 

It  was  in,  or  near,  this  year  of  many  improvements  that 


THE    SECOND    COURT-HOUSE. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  22^ 

the  well-known  old  Franklin  House  was  completed,  and 
opened  its  hospitable  doors  for  the  accommodation  of  the 
stranger.  N.  E.  Crittenden  came  and  opened  the  first 
jewelry  store  in  Cleveland,  occupying  a  small  one-story 
brick  building  next  door  to  the  Franklin  House. 

The  first  actual  official  connection  of  Cleveland  and  Cuy- 
ahoga County  with  the  question  of  slavery,  in  any  shape  or 
form,  which  I  have  yet  discovered,  was  formed  in  1827, 
when  the  Cuyahoga  County  Colonization  Society  came 
into  existence.  It  was  a  branch  of  the  national  organiza- 
tion—  the  Colonization  Society  —  which  had  for  its  object 
the  gradual  removal  of  the  colored  people  of  America  to 
Africa,  the  theory  being  that  many  slave-holders  would 
free  their  bondsmen  if  assured  they  would  be  sent  out  of 
the  country.  vSamuel  Cowles  was  elected  president ;  Rev. 
Randolph  Stone,  Nehemiah  Allen,  Datus  Kelley,  Josiah 
Barber,  and  Lewis  R.  Dille,  vice-presidents;  A.  W.  Wal- 
worth, treasurer;  James  S.  Clarke,  secretary;  and  Mor- 
decai  Hartley  delegate  to  the  national  society.  The  meet- 
ing for  the  organization  of  the  society  was  addressed  by 
the  Rev.  William  Stone.  The  movement  was  vigorously 
opposed  by  the  advocates  of  an  entire  abolition  of  slavery. 

An  added  interest  in  church  matters  was  felt  during 
the  same  year,  especially  among  those  holding  to  the 
doctrines  of  Methodism.  As  early  as  18 18,  a  class  had 
been  formed  in  Newburg,  which  passed  through  various 
trying  experiences,  and  then  went  out  of  existence. 
Preaching  under  the  auspices  of  this  denomination  com- 
menced in  Cleveland  in  1822,  when  the  Rev.  Ira  Eddy 
established  a  place  for  services,  as  a  part  of  the  Hudson 
circuit.  Among  those  who  officiated  at  that  time  and  a 
little  later  were  the  Revs.  William  H.  Collins,  Orin  Gil- 
more,  Philip  Green,  AVilliam  C.  Henderson,  Robert  Hop- 
kins, John  Crawford,  and  William  R.  Babcock.  In  1827, 
the  first  jSIethodist  societv  of  Cleveland  was  formed,  in  the 
shape  of  a  class,  under  the  ministrations  of  Revs.  John 
Crawford  and  Cornelius  Jones.  The  names  of  those  who 
participated  and  thus  laid  the  foundations  of    the   First 


2SO 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


Methodist  Church  of  Cleveland,  are  as  follows:  Mrs. 
Grace  Johnson,  Andrew  Tomlinson,  Eliza  Worley,  Eliza- 
beth Southworth,  Joel  Sizer  and  Avife,  Elijah  Peet  and 
wife,  and  Lucinda  Knowlton.  Mr.  Peet  became  the 
leader.  The  Cleveland  circuit,  as  it  was  then  called,  com- 
prised all  of  Cuyahoga  County,  with  Lake,  Geauga  and 
Summit  Counties,  and  a  part  of  Ashtabula  and  Portage. 

Cleveland  was  made  a  permanent  station  in  1830,  the 
Rev.  George  McCaskey  becoming  pastor.  The  society,  as 
yet  having  no  church  building,  used  halls,  school-houses, 
and   the   court-house,  and   continued  to  do  so  until    1841, 

when  a  structure  was 
erected  on  the  corner 
of  St.  Clair  and  Wood 
streets.  The  society 
continued  to  worship 
here  until  1869,  when 
a  new  stone  chapel 
was  erected  on  Erie 
street,  near  Euclid 
avenue;  and  in  1874 
the  present  fine  stone 
church  fronting  on 
Euclid  avenue  was 
completed  and  dedi- 
cated. The  church 
has  had  a  wonderful 
in    many    ways,    and 


FIRST    M.     E.     ClURCH. 


influence  for  good  in  Cleveland, 
from  the  aid  it  has  given  in  the  formation  of  other  socie- 
ties of  the  same  denomination  may  well  be  called  the 
main  fountain-head  of  Methodism  in  Cleveland. 

The  Methodist  Church  Society  of  East  Cleveland  was 
also  organized  in  1827.  It  remained  a  part  of  the  New- 
burg  circuit  until  1858  ;  and  in  i860  it  was  made  a  station. 
Its  first  church  building  was  erected  in  1836,  and  its  sec- 
ond was  dedicated  in  1870. 

The  beginning  of  two  of  Cleveland's  greatest  sources 
of  wealth — coal  and  iron — came  together,  as  it  happened,  in 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  231 

1828,  although  it  was  many  years  before  either  assumed 
any  great  proportions.  John  Ballard  &  Co.  put  their 
small  iron  foundry  in  operation  in  the  spring ;  and  a  little 
later  Henry  Newberry  shipped,  from  his  land  near  the 
canal,  a  few  tons  of  coal.  An  attempt  was  made  to  intro- 
duce it  as  the  fuel  of  Cleveland.  A  wagon  load  was 
driven  from  door  to  door,  and  its  good  qualities  explained. 
"  No  one,"  says  one  chronicler,  "  wanted  it.  AVood  was 
plenty  and  cheap,  and  the  neat  housewives  of  Cleveland 
especially  objected  to  the  dismal  appearance  and  dirt-cre- 
ating qualities  of  the  new  fuel.  Once  in  a  while  a  man 
would  take  a  little  as  a  gift,  but  after  the  wagon  had 
been  driven  around  Cleveland  all  day,  not  a  single  pur- 
chaser had  been  found.  At  length,  after  nightfall,  Philo 
Scovill,  who  was  then  keeping  the  hotel  known  as  the 
Franklin  House,  was  persuaded  to  buy  some,  for  which 
he  found  use  by  putting  grates  in  his  bar-room  stove. 
Such  was  the  beginning  of  the  coal  business  in  Cleveland. 
The  new  fuel  soon  found  favor  for  the  small  manufactur- 
ing and  mechanical  industries  of  the  period,  but  it  was 
long  before  the  matrons  of  Cleveland  would  tolerate  it  in 
private  residences." 

The  ambitious  village  began  to  feel  the  need  of  a  little 
more  room  for  the  extension  and  development  of  her  many 
growing  interests,  and  therefore,  in  December,  1829,  legis- 
lation was  secured  at  the  hands  of  the  general  assembly 
which  extended  her  boundaries.  All  the  land  "  from 
the  southerly  line  of  Huron  street  down  the  river  to  a 
point  westerly  of  the  junction  of  Vineyard  lane  with  the 
road  leading  from  the  village  to  Brooklyn,  thence  west 
parallel  with  said  road  to  the  river,  and  down  the  river 
to  the  old  village  line,"  was  annexed.  In  February, 
1834,  a  second  act  was  passed,  which  again  extended  the 
boundaries  and  added;  "All  the  two-acre  lots  east  of  Erie 
street,  the  tier  south  of  Ohio  street,  and  a  parcel  at  the 
southwest  corner  of  the  original  plat,  which  was  not 
originally  surveyed  or  laid  off. ' ' 

The  first  step  in  the  direction  of  organized  fire  protec- 


232  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

tion  was  taken  also  in  1S29,  when  the  village  purchased  a 
"  Fire  Engine  No.  3,"  of  the  American  Hydraulic  Com- 
pany, at  an  expense  of  $2 85.  These  are  the  figures  given 
in  the  village  records,  although  they  do  not  exactly  agree 
with  those  stated  by  John  W.  Allen  in  a  published  address. 
His  story,  as  to  the  general  circumstances  attending  the 
sale,  however,  may  be  relied  upon,  as  he  was  a  party 
thereto.  "  In  the  old  village  corporation,"  said  he, 
"  there  was  a  president,  recorder,  and  three  trustees. 
The  legislation  was  in  the  hands  of  the  trustees  and  presi- 
dent. I  happened,  in  the  year  1828,  to  be  one  of  them. 
Dr.  Long  was  another.  AVe  thought  it  expedient  to  buy 
a  fire  engine,  and  we  negotiated  with  Mr.  vSeelye  for  the 
purpose  of  purchasing  a  small  engine.  It  was  before  the 
days  of  steam  fire  engines.  We  were  about  to  make  a 
contract  with  him  for  the  engine,  and  were  to  pay  him 
$400,  $50  down  and  $350  in  a  note  of  the  corporation. 
There  was  a  set  of  men  here  who  were  hostile  to  the 
measure.  They  got  up  a  meeting  and  talked  pretty 
strongly,  intimating  that  we  had  joined  hands  with  Seelye 
to  swindle  the  people  here,  and  that  we  undoubtedly  par- 
ticipated in  the  plunder.  But  we  bought  the  engine  and 
paid  the  $50  like  honest  men,  and  gave  the  note  of  the 
corporation  for  the  balance.  An  election  intervened  the 
next  spring,  and  we  were  all  turned  out,  and  a  new  set  of 
men  put  in  who  repudiated  the  note.  The  note  came  here 
for  collection,  judgment  was  rendered,  and  those  men  had 
to  walk  up  to  the  captain's  office  and  settle  the  bill."^~ 
A  market  soon  followed  the  fire  engine,  an  ordinance  for 

•^-  This  statement  was  made  by  Hon.  John  W.  Allen,  at  the  tirst  annual 
meeting  of  the  Early  Settlers'  Association,  in  May,  1880.  ("  Annals,"  No. 
I,  p.  61.)  It  seems  to  show  that  even  a  man  of  Mr.  Allen's  bright  mind 
and  vigorous  memory  cannot  be  depended  upon  for  details,  after  the  ex- 
piration of  fifty  and  more  years.  Dr.  Long  was  a  member  of  the  board  of 
village  trustees  in  1828;  Mr.  Allen  was  not.  Mr.  Allen  was  on  the  board 
in  1829,  and  Dr.  Long  was  president.  This  fact,  taken  with  the  records 
of  the  village  as  found  in  the  city  clerk's  office,  shows  that  the  engine 
was  ordered  in  1829,  at  the  cost  we  have  above  given.  The  returns  of  the 
election,  to  which  j\Ir.  Allen  refers,  show  that  he  was  correct  upon  that  point 
— not  a  trustee  who  voted  for  the  engine  was  returned  the  next  year. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


233 


the  regulation  of  the  same  being  passed  in  1829.  The  re- 
ceipts during  the  entire  year  following  were  but  $27.50. 
The  receipts  for  show-licenses,  during  the  same  year, 
amounted  to  exactly  $5. 

The  laving-out  of  new  streets,  preparatory  to  organiza- 
tion as  a  city,  which  was  now  but  a  few  years  off,  went 
bravely  on.  In  1828,  Orange  alley,  now  known  as  Frank- 
fort street,  was  run  between  Water  and  Bank  streets ; 
Canal  street,  nearly  as  now  known  on  the  lower   portion, 


THE    LKMKN    IK  )MKSTF.AI),    ERECTED    IN    1829. 

was  laid  out,  and  named,  in  1829;  in  1831,  Prospect 
street,  from  Ontario  to  Erie  street,  also  was  laid  out; 
Ahaz  Merchant  being  the  surveyor.  It  was,  as  before 
mentioned,  at  first  called  Cuyahoga  street,  but,  before  the 
entry  was  officially  made,  the  name  was  happily  changed 
to  the  one  it  now  bears. ^■-'''     The  following  streets  also 

"-"A  specimen  of  Cleveland's  early  architecture  is  found  in  the  Lemen 
homestead,  shown  in  the  accompanying  illustration.  This  was  built,  in 
1829,  by  William  Lemen,  on  the  south  side  of  Superior  street,  at  its  junc- 
tion with  the  Public  Square.     It  was  taken  down,  in  1S51,  by  Mr.  Hoffman, 


234 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


were  added  to  the  growing  map  of  Cleveland,  in  the 
years  named:  In  1833,  River  street,  from  Superior 
street  to  Union  lane ;  Meadow,  Lighthouse,  and  vSpring 
streets;  in  1835,  High  street,  Sheriff  street,  Middle  street, 
Clinton  .street.  Lake  street,  Lake  alley,  Ohio  street, 
Rockwell    street,    and     continuations    of     Prospect    and 

Bolivar  streets. ^"^ 


The 


government 


THE    TRESENT    LIGHTHOUSE. 

costlv  and  eleofant  structure. 


United  vStates 
added  its 
contribution  to  the  grow- 
ing importance  bv  build- 
ing, in  1830,  the  first 
lighthouse  in  Cleveland, 
at  a  cost  of  eight  thou- 
sand dollars.  The  work 
was  done  by  Levi  John- 
son, and  the  structure 
located  on  the  bluff  at 
the  north  end  of  Water 
street,  at  a  point  one 
hundred  and  thirty-five 
feet  above  the  level  of 
the  lake.  It  has  been 
since  replaced  by  a  more 


who  had  leased  it  for  a  term  of  years,  and  the  Hoffman  Block  was  erected 
in  its  stead.  In  18S9,  this  latter  building  and  site  were  leased  to  James 
Parmelee  for  the  term  of  ninety-nme  years,  and  in  1S91-2  the  Cuyahoga 
Building  of  to-day  was  erected.  The  stone  pillars  which  were  in  the 
Lemen  cottage  were  used  in  the  construction  of  a  temple  in  Lakeview 
Cemetery. 

"^  General  Ahaz  Merchant's  connection  with  Cleveland  seems  to  have 
been  deserving  of  a  more  extended  mention  than  is  found  in  any  of  the 
published  records.  He  was  born  in  Connecticut,  on  March  21st,  1794,  and 
became  a  resident  of  Cleveland  m  1818.  He  learned  the  art  of  the  sur- 
veyor, and  was,  for  a  time,  in  the  service  of  the  State,  surveying  school 
lands  in  Tuscarawas  County.  He  laid  out  and  helped  build  the  horse 
railroad,  elsewhere  described,  that  ran  to  East  Cleveland.  He  was  county 
stirveyor  from  1833  to  1835,  and  again  from  1845  to  1850.  He  did  a  great 
deal  of  engineering  for  the  city  and  county  prior  to  the  employment  of  a 
city  engineer;  was  connected  with  the  establishment  of  grades  on  Seneca, 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


235 


Among  the  arrivals  of  1830,  were  Seth  A.  Abbey,  who 
served  for  a  number  of  terms  as  city  marshal,  and  later 
as  judge  of  the  police  court;  and  Norman  C.  Baldwin, 
who  formed  a  partnership,  in  the  produce  commission 
business,  with  Noble  H.  Merwin.  He  was  afterwards  a 
member  of  the  firm  of  Giddings,  Baldwin  &  Co.,  forward- 
ing and  commission  merchants,  who  sent  and  received  a 
large  amount  of  business  over  the  Ohio  Canal.  The  firm 
also  owned  one  of  the  first  regular  line  of  steamers  to  ply 
the  lake.  The  line  of  boats  and  packets  from  Portsmouth 
to  New  York  by  the  Ohio  and  Erie  canals  and  the  lake, 
was  called  the  "  Troy  &  Erie  line,"  each  packet  carrying 
thirty  passengers,  and  one  hundred  bushels  of  wheat.  In 
later  years,  Mr.  Baldwin  was 
interested  in  the  banking  busi- 
ness and  real  estate. 

It  would  be  an  unwarranted 
discrimination,  if,  in  this  men- 
tion, here  and  there  of  the  ar- 
rival of  business  and  profes- 
sional men,  none  was  made 
of  the  coming  of  a  noble  woman 
whose  life-work  in  Cleveland, 
in  various  forms  of  usefulness, 
was  blessed  for  the  public  good. 
Mrs.  Rebecca  C.  Rouse  lived  a 
long  and  useful  life  in  the  city  of  her  chosen  home, 
and  her  memory  long  will  be  held  in  grateful  re- 
membrance.    The    brief  sketch    of    her  life  and  labors, 

Bank,  Erie,  Canal,  and  other  streets ;  engineer  of  the  first  improvement  of 
the  old.  river  bed;  laid  out  the  most  important  allotments  in  the  City  of 
Ohio;  while  his  similar  work,  upon  the  other  side  of  the  river,  was  very- 
extensive.  He  was  active  in  the  building  line,  and  erected  the  "  Angier 
House,"  later  known  as  the  "  Kennard  House."  His  title  of  General  was 
gained  through  his  oificial  connection  with  the  militia.  He  died  on  March 
28th,  1S62.  His  sons,  Aaron  and  Silas  Merchant,  were  both  well  known  in 
connection  with  the  public  history  of  Cleveland ;  while  one  of  his  daugh- 
ters, Mrs.  R.  M.  N.  Taylor,  and  her  husband,  were  noted,  for  some  years, 
as  hostess  and  host  of  the  well-known  hotel  above  named — in  its  time  one 
of  the  best  in  the  west. 


MRS.     REBICCCA    C.     ROUSE. 


236  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

that  follows,  is  from  the  appreciative  pen  of  one  who 
in  her  own  field  of  labor  has  done  much  for  Cleve- 
land's good:  "  At  eighteen,"  writes  Mrs.  Ingham/''^ 
"  Miss  Rebecca  Cromwell  married  Benjamin  Rouse,  a 
young  man  in  the  business  circles  of  Boston,  Mass.  In 
1825,  they  removed  to  the  City  of  New  York,  where, 
under  the  lead  of  Arthur  Tappan,  she  visited  the  byways 
and  worst  localities  of  the  metropolis.  In  time,  both  her- 
self and  husband  decided,  upon  the  request  of  the  Ameri- 
can Sabbath  School  Union,  to  go  as  missionaries  to  the 
Western  Reserve,  with  residence  and  headquarters  at 
Cleveland,  O.  After  parting  with  friends,  particularly 
those  of  the  Delancy  Street  Baptist  Church,  they  jour- 
neyed many  days,  arriving  at  this  port  October  19th, 
1830.  At  that  time  there  was  no  village  above  the  Public 
Square ;  the  population  numbering  one  thousand.  Euclid 
avenue  was  known  as  the  Buffalo  road,  and  Fairmount, 
the  road  to  Newburgh.  They  stopped  on  that  Sabbath 
morning  at  Merwin's  Tavern,  a  frame  building  painted 
red,  on  the  present  site  of  Bratenahl's  Block,  Superior 
and  South  Water  streets,  the  latter  called,  then,  Vineyard 
lane.  After  breakfast,  Mrs.  Rouse  asked  the  landlord  if 
there  were  no  places  of  Avorship  in  the  village,  and  re- 
ceived for  reply  that  a  few  Methodists  were  holding  a 
prayer-meeting  in  the  upper  story  (^f  the  house  opposite. 
They  crossed  the  street,  and  found  present  among  other 
few,  Mrs.  Daniel  Worley,  Joel  Sizer,  and  young  Mr. 
Bump,  the  school-master.  At  this  time,  the  Episcopal- 
ians had  a  small,  wooden  meeting-house,  corner  of  St. 
Clair  and  Seneca  streets,  with  organized  parish  services 
and  vSunday  school;  here,  again,  female  piety  predomi- 
nated, there  being  but  two  male  members.  This  was 
Old  Trinity.  During  the  week  following  her  arrival,  Mrs. 
Rouse  gathered  about  her  several  good  women  for  relig- 
ious work,  at  her  own  hired  house,  temporarily  occupied, 
on   Superior  street,  near  the  later  Judge   Bishop   Block. 

•'^■*  "  Women  of  Cleveland  and   their  Work,"    by   Mrs.  W.   A.    Ingham, 
p.  17. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  237 

In  a' picture  owned  by  Mrs.  Rouse,  their  newly  built  home 
shows  favorably  as  a  white  cottage,  on  the  exact  site  of 
the  present  Rouse  Block.  The  cottage  has  a  face,  appar- 
ently all  windows,  from  the  fact  that  the  front  room  was 
used  as  a  depOvSitory  for  the  publications  of  the  American 
Sunday  School  Union  and  Tract  Society.  This  called 
forth  the  derisive  remark  from  many  male  'sinners,'  then 
resident  in  our  city,  that  '  there  is  more  religion  in  Rouse's 
windows  than  in  the  whole  village  besides.'  The  names 
of  those  who  constituted  these  early  assemblies  in  Cleve- 
land were  Mrs.  Joel  Scranton,  Mrs.  D.  Worley,  Mrs.  Dr. 
Long,  Mrs.  Chas.  Giddings,  Mrs.  Moses  White,  Mrs.  Gab- 
berden,  Mrs.  Edmund  Clark,  Mrs.  George  Hoadley  \sic\ 
Mrs.  H.  P.  Weddell,  Mrs.  John  M.  Sterling.  From  this 
gathering  grew  the  Woman's  Union  Gospel  work  of  Cleve- 
land, which  now,  under  various  forms,  is  a  crown  of  glory 
upon  the  fair  brow  of  our  own  Forest  City.    October  30th, 

1830,  Mrs.  Rouse  had  organized  the  Ladies'  Tract  vSociety 
of  the  Village  of  Cleveland,  auxiliary  to  the  parent  so- 
ciety of  New  York,  the  leader  being  its  representative  in 
the  homes  of  our  people." 

There  was  one  newly-arrived  resident  of  Cleveland  in 

1 83 1,  who  was  not  pleased  altogether  with  what  he  ex- 
perienced, although  he  was  compelled  to  confess  that  the 
place  was  fair  to  look  upon.  His  personal  view  of  various 
things  is  interesting,  as  he  spoke  with  that  confidential 
freedom  that  friend  uses  with  friend.  This  was  Milo  H. 
Hickox,  and  these  are  the  impressions  he  conveyed  to  a 
friend  in  Rochester,  by  private  letter  :^^ 

"  Cleveland  is  about  two-thirds  as  large  as  Rochester, 
east  side  of  the  river,  and  is  the  pleasantest  sight  that  you 
ever  saw.  The  streets  are  broad  and  cross  each  other  at 
right  angles.  The  court-house  is  better  than  the  one  in 
Rochester;  the  rest  of  the  buildings  altogether  are  not 
worth  more  than  four  of  the  best  in  that  place,  and  one 
room  of  a  middling  size  rents  for  one  dollar  per  month. 

55  "  Sixty  Years  Ago,"  by  Milo  H.  Hickox.—"  Annals  of  the  Early  Set- 
tlers' Association,"  Vol.  III.,  No.  i,  p.  75. 


2jS  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

Everything  that  we  want  to  live  upon  commands  cash 
and  a  high  price.  Mechanics'  wages  are  h:)w.  Journey- 
men get  from  $io  to  $20  per  month  and  board;  I  get  nine 
shillings  and  six  pence  per  day,  and  board  myself.  I  have 
the  best  of  work.  Now  for  the  morals.  There  are  be- 
tween fifteen  and  twenty  grogshops,  and  they  all  live. 
There  was  one  opened  here  last  week  by  a  man  froin 
Rochester.  There  is  a  temperance  society,  with  ten  or  a 
dozen  male  members.  The  Presbyterian  Church  has  four 
male  members,  Baptist  six,  Methodist  about  the  same, 
the  Episcopal  is  small ;  they  have  a  house,  the  others  have 
not.  The  court-house  is  used  at  this  time  for  a  theatrical 
company,  and  is  well  filled  with  people  of  all  classes.  My 
health  has  not  been  good  since  we  have  been  here.  About 
four  weeks  since,  we  awoke  in  the  morning  and  found  our- 
selves all  shaking  with  the  ague.  I  had  but  one  fit  my- 
self. My  wife  had  it  about  a  week,  every  day,  and  my 
son  three  weeks,  every  day,  and  what  made  it  worse,  my 
wife  and  son  both  shook  at  the  same  time.  I  spent  one 
day  in  search  of  a  girl ;  gave  up  the  chase  and  engaged  a 
passage  for  my  wife  to  Buffalo,  to  be  forwarded  to  Roch- 
ester. She  was  to  leave  the  next  morning.  I  was  tell- 
ing my  troubles  to  an  acquaintance,  who  told  me  that 
he  would  find  a  girl  for  me,  or  let  me  have  his 
rather  than  have  my  family  leave,  so  we  concluded  to 
sta}^" 

Previous  to  1831,  that  section  of  modern  Cleveland 
which  lies  to  the  west  of  the  river  had  received  less  con- 
sideration, at  the  hands  of  the  settlers  upon  the  eastern 
banks,  than  its  importance  and  promise  for  the  future  de- 
served. We  have  had  glimpses,  here  and  there,  of  its  con- 
nection with  the  general  development,  and  a  long  step 
was  taken  in  that  direction  in  the  year  above  named. 

When  the  fourth  draft  of  the  lands,  under  the  auspices 
of  the  Connecticut  Land  Company,  occurred  in  April,  1 807, 
Samuel  P.  Lord  and  others  drew  the  township  of  Brook- 
lyn, No.  7,  in  range  13.  It  was  surveyed,  in  1809,  by  Ezek- 
iel  Hoover.     Of  the  early  conditions  existing  upon  that 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  ajg 

side,  Col.  Whittlesey  has  said:^"  "  On  the  west  side  of 
the  river,  opposite  St.  Clair  street,  where  the  Indians  had 
a  ferry,  a  trail  led  out  across  the  marshy  ground,  up  the 
hill  past  the  old  log  trading  house,  where  there  were 
springs  of  water,  to  an  opening  in  the  forest,  near  the 
crossing  of  Pearl  and  Detroit  streets.  In  this  pleasant 
space  the  savages  practiced  their  games,  held  their  pow- 
wows, and  when  whisky  could  be  procured,  enjoyed 
themselves  while  it  lasted.  The  trail  continued  thence 
westerly  to  Rocky  River  and  Sandusky.  Another  one, 
less  frequented,  led  off  southerly  up  the  river  to  the  old 
French  trading  post,  where  Magenis  was  found  in  1786, 
near  Brighton;  and  thence,  near  the  river  bank,  to  Tink- 
er's Creek,  and  probably  to  the  old  Portage  path.  A  less 
frequented  trail  existed  from  the  Indian  villages  of  Tawas 
or  Ottawas  and  Mingoes,  at  Tinker's  Creek,  by  a  shorter 
route,  direct  to  the  crossing  of  the  Cuyahoga  at  the  '  Stand- 
ing Stone',  near  Kent.  The  packhorsemen,  who  trans- 
ported goods  and  flour  to  the  northwest  from  1786  to 
1795,  followed  this  trail,  crossing  the  Cuyahoga  at  Tink- 
er's Creek." 

Exactly  when  and  where  the  first  white  resident  of 
Brooklyn  made  his  appearance,  is  not  known.  Most  of 
the  glimpses  we  have  had  of  the  forerunners  of  civiliza- 
tion upon  the  West  vSide,  were  caught  down  near  the  lake 
and  about  that  part  now  known  as  Main  and  Detroit 
streets.  There  was,  however,  out  near  the  present  River- 
side Cemetery,  a  grassy  slope  running  up  from  the  Cuya- 
hoga River,  which,  even  in  late  years,  was  known  as 
"  Granger's  Hill."  Here  came,  from  Canada,  one  Gran- 
ger, who  became  a  "  squatter,"  but  at  what  date  is  not 
certainly  known.  He  was  there  when  James  Fish,  in 
May,  1 8 12,  became  the  first  permanent  settler  of  the 
Brooklyn  Township  of  the  later  days.  The  stay  of  the 
squatter,  however,  was  not  long,  as  he  migrated,  in  18 15, 
to  the  Maumee  country. 

James   Fish    came    from    Groton,   Connecticut,    having 

^«  Whittlesey's  "  Early  History  of  Cleveland,"  p.  475. 


240  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

purchased  land  of  Messrs.  Lord  and  Barber.  He  left  home, 
in  the  summer  of  1811,  with  his  family  stored  away  in  a 
wagon  drawn  by  oxen.  He  was  accompanied  by  quite  a 
company  of  pioneers,  and  spent  forty-seven  days  upon 
the  road.  He  passed  the  winter  in  Newburg;  early  in 
the  spring  of  18 12,  he  crossed  over  to  Brooklyn,  erected  a 
logf-house  at  a  cost  of  eighteen  dollars,  and  in  Mav  took 
his  family  over  and  commenced  house-keeping.  In  the 
vSame  year  came  Moses  and  Ebenezer  Fish,  the  last 
named  serving  as  one  of  the  militiamen  guarding  the  In- 
dian murderer,  whose  execution  in  1812  has  been  else- 
where recorded.  In  18 13,  came  Ozias  Brainard,  of  Con- 
necticut, with  his  family;  while  in  18 14,  six  families  ar- 
rived as  settlers  within  one  week — those  of  Isaac  Hinckley, 
Asa  Brainard,  Elijah  Young,  Stephen  Brainard,  Enos 
Brainard,  and  Warren  Brainard,  all  of  whom  had  been 
residents  of  Chatham,  ]\liddlesex  County,  Conn.  They 
had  all  exchanged  their  farm  lands  at  home  for  those 
placed  upon  the  inarket  in  this  section  of  the  New  West. 
Their  journey  and  reception  has  been  described  thus  — 
with  what  warrant  of  exact  truth  we  are  not  prepared  to 
sa}' :  ' '  All  set  out  on  the  same  day.  The  train  consisted 
of  six  wagons,  drawn  by  ten  horses  and  six  oxen,  and  all 
journeyed  together  until  Euclid  was  reached  (forty  days 
after  leaving  Chatham  ),  where  Isaac  Hinckley  and  his 
family  rested,  leaving  the  others  to  push  on  to  Brooklyn, 
whither  he  followed  them  within  a  week.  It  appears  that 
the  trustees  of  the  township  of  Cleveland,  to  which  the 
territory  of  Brooklyn  then  belonged,  became  alarmed  at 
the  avalanche  of  emigrants  just  described,  and  concluding 
that  they  were  a  band  of  paupers,  for  whose  support  the 
township  would  be  taxed,  started  a  constable  across  the 
river  to  warn  the  invaders  out  of  town.  Alonzo  Carter,  a 
resident  of  Cleveland,  heard  of  the  move,  and  stopped  it 
by  endorsing  the  good  standing  of  the  new-comers, — ad- 
ding that  the  alleged  paupers  were  worth  more  than  all 
the  trustees  of  Cleveland  combined."^" 

"  "  History  of  Cuyahoga  County,"  compiled  by  Crisfield  Johnson,  p.  417. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  241 


Richard  and  Samuel  Lord,  and  Josiah  Barber,  of  the 
firm  of  Lord  &  Barber,  above  referred  to,  removed,  as 
early  as  i8icS,  to  that  part  of  Brooklyn  which  is  now  the 
west  side  of  Cleveland.  Brooklyn  Township  was  organ- 
ized on  June  ist,  18 18,  and  originally  embraced  "all  that 
part  of  Cleveland  situated  on  the  west  side  of  the  Cuya- 
hoga River,  excepting  a  farm  owned  by  Alfred  Kelley." 
Major  Lorenzo  Carter  and  his  son,  Alonzo  Carter,  pur- 
chased lands  on  the  west  side  soon  after  the  survey,  the 
son  occupying  the  same  and  keeping  tavern  in  the  Red 
House,  as  it  was  called,  opposite  vSuperior  lane. 

The  first  real  boom  in  land  speculation,  upon  that  side, 
began  in  1831,  when  an  organization,  known  as  the  Buf- 
falo Company,  bought  a  large  tract  in  that  section,  laid  it 
out  into  streets  and  lots,  and  began  to  push  various  im- 
provements forward  at  a  rapid  rate — with  what  degree  of 
eventual  success  we  shall  discover  some  years  later. 

Among  the  events  of  1832,  was  the  organization  of  a 
church  in  Newburg,  which  was  Congregational  in  form, 
although  attached  to  the  Cleveland  Presbytery.  It  came 
into  existence  at  the  residence  of  Noah  Graves,  under 
the  direction  of  Rev.  David  Peet,  of  Euclid,  assisted  by 
Rev.  Harvey  Lyon.  A  temporary  place  of  worship  was 
fitted  up  in  a  carpenter's  shop,  and  services  were  held 
occasionally  under  the  leadership  of  Rev.  Simeon  Wood- 
ruff, of  Strongsville.  This  organization  became  known 
in  later  days  as  the  South  Presbyterian  Church.  Timothy 
P.  Spencer,  afterwards  a  well-known  citizen,  one  of  the 
founders  of  the  ' '  Cleveland  Advertiser, ' '  and  later  post- 
master of  Cleveland,  became  a  resident  of  the  village  in 
1832.  At  a  meeting  of  the  trustees  in  June,  the  purchase 
of  a  hearse,  harness,  and  bier,  was  ordered;  Dr.  David 
Long  and  O.  B.  Skinner  being  appointed  to  make  the 
purchase. 

An  approaching  plague,  of  a  severe  nature,  foreshad- 
owed the  early  and  perhaps  frequent  use  of  these  trap- 
pings of  death.  The  cholera  vSeason,  of  1832,  is  still 
remembered  by  the  older  settlers  of  Cleveland  and  vicin- 


242  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

ity,  more  from  the  apprehension  and  dread  that  it  caused 
than  from  its  actual  ravages  in  this  neig-hborhood. 

The  researches  of  medical  science,  at  that  early  day, 
had  not  robbed  this  eastern  plague  of  its  terrors,  so,  when 
the  alarm  was  sent  through  the  west  that  death  in  its 
worst  form  of  wholesale  slaughter  was  approaching,  the 
people  of  Cleveland,  like  their  neighbors,  were  panic- 
stricken,  and  ready  to  resort  to  any  measures  for  protection. 

Toward  the  end  of  May,  an  emigrant  vShip  landed  at 
Quebec  with  a  load  of  passengers,  and  the  cholera  aboard. 
It  spread  over  that  city  with  great  virulence ;  moved  up 
the  St.  Lawrence  River;  attacked  Montreal,  where  its 
effects  were  fatal  in  most  cases.  A  feeling  of  panic  spread 
rapidly  through  all  the  lake  region,  as  it  was  known  that 
the  march  of  the  scourge,  in  that  direction,  would  be  cer- 
tain and  rapid. 

The  authorities  of  the  village  on  the  Cuyahoga  acted 
with  humane  promptness.  In  the  record  book  of  1832, 
under  date  of  June  24th,  occurs  this  entry :  "At  a  meet- 
ing of  the  board  of  trustees  of  the  Village  of  Cleveland, 
on  the  24th  of  June,  1832,  present  J.  W.  Allen,  D.  Long,  P. 
May,  and  S.  Pease,  convened  for  the  appointment  of  a 
Board  of  Health,  in  pursuance  of  a  resolution  of  a  meeting 
of  the  citizens  of  the  village  on  the  23d  instant,  the  fol- 
lowing gentlemen  were  appointed :  Dr.  Cowles,  Dr. 
Mills,   Dr.  St.  John,  S.  Belden,  Ch.  Denison." 

John  W.  Allen  was  then  president  of  the  corporation. 
With  wise  energy,  he  set  out  to  protect  the  citizens,  and 
at  the  same  time  care  for  the  helpless  sick  who  should 
seek  shelter  in  Cleveland  harbor.  In  a  communication  to 
this  new  Board  of  Health,  he  said:  "  At  a  public  meet- 
ing of  the  citizens  of  this  village  yesterday  to  adopt  meas- 
ures in  relation  to  the  anticipated  arrival  of  the  Indian 
cholera  within  our  limits,  it  was  determined  that  a  com- 
mittee of  five  persons  be  appointed,  whose  duty  should  be 
to  inspect  any  vessels  arriving  here  from  Lake  Ontario, 
or  any  port  on  the  lake  where  the  cholera  does  or  may 
exist;  to  examine  all  cases    that  may    be   suspicious    in 


777^  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  243 

their  character,  either  on  the  river  or  in  the  village;  to 
examine  into  the  existence  of,  and  cause  to  be  removed, 
all  nuisances  that  may  have  a  tendency  to  generate  or 
propagate  the  disease.  •  •  •  iVnd,  also,  that  they  erect 
or  procure  a  suitable  building  for  the  reception  of  stran- 
gers, or  others,  who  may  be  attacked,  or  who  have  not 
the  proper  accoinmodation  of  their  own."  An  ordinance 
was  also  passed  relating  to  the  inspection  of  vessels,  or 
the  placing  of  them  in  quarantine.  At  a  later  date.  Dr.  S, 
J.  Weldon  and  Daniel  Worley  were  added  to  the  Board 
of  Health.  In  July,  all  quarantine  regulations  were 
abandoned. 

The  story  of  that  fated  summer,  in  Cleveland,  has 
been  so  graphically  told  by,  perhaps,  the  chief  actor 
therein  ( John  W.  Allen ),  that  I  will  give  his  relation  in 
full. 

"  The  famous  Black  Hawk  War"  was  then  raging  in 
the  territory  which  is  now  called  Wisconsin,  and  in  adja- 
cent parts  of  Illinois  clear  through  to  the  Mississippi 
River.  The  Indians  were  all  on  the  war-path.  The  gar- 
rison, at  what  is  now  Chicago,  had  been  massacred,  and 
every  white  man,  woman,  and  child  they  could  hunt  out, 
murdered.  With  a  horrible  pestilence  threatened  in  the 
east  and  at  home,  too,  and  a  war  of  extermination  in 
progress  in  the  west,  it  may  well  be  inferred  the  popular 
mind  was  in  a  high  state  of  excitement.  About  June, 
General  Scott  was  ordered  to  gather  all  the  troops  he 
could  find  in  the  eastern  forts  at  Buffalo,  and  start  them 
off  in  a  steamboat  in  all  haste  for  Chicago.  He  embarked 
with  a  full  load  on  board  the  '  Henry  Clay,'  Captain  Nor- 
ton commanding,  a  most  discreet  and  competent  man  and 
officer.  Incipient  indications  of  cholera  soon  appeared, 
and  some  died,  and  by  the  time  the  boat  arrived  at  Fort 
Gratiot,  at  the  foot  of  Lake  Huron,  it  became  apparent 
that  the  effort  to  reach  Chicago  by  water  would  prove 
abortive.  General  Scott,  therefore,  landed  his  men,  and 
prepared  to  make  the  march  through  the  wilderness, 
three  hundred  miles   or  more  to  Chicago,   and  sent  the 


244  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

'  Clay  '  back  to  Buffalo.  Captain  Norton  started  down 
the  river,  having  on  board  a  number  of  sick  soldiers.  All 
were  worn  out  with  labor  and  anxietv.  They  hoped, 
at  Detroit,  to  get  food,  medicines,  and  small  stores,  but 
when  they  got  there  every  dock  was  covered  with  armed 
men  and  cannon,  and  they  were  ordered  to  move  on  with- 
out a  moment's  delay,  even  in  the  middle  of  the  river, 
and  did  so,  heading  for  Buffalo.  Before  the  '  Clay  '  got 
off  Cleveland,  half  a  dozen  men  had  died  and  were  thrown 
overboard,  and  others  were  sick.  All  believed  there 
would  not  be  men  enough  left  to  work  the  vessel  into 
Buffalo,  and  Captain  Norton  steamed  for  Cleveland,  as  his 
only  alternative.  Early  in  the  morning  of  the  loth  of 
June,  we  found  the  '  Clay  '  lying  fast  to  the  west  bank  of 
the  river,  with  a  flag  of  distress  flying,  and  we  knew  the 
hour  of  trial  had  come  upon  us,  thus  unheralded.  The 
trustees  met  immediately,  and  it  was  determined  at  once 
that  everything  should  be  done  to  aid  the  sufferers,  and 
protect  our  citizens  so  far  as  in  us  lav.  I  was  deputed  to 
visit  Captain  Norton  and  find  what  he  most  needed,  and 
how  it  could  be  done.  A  short  conversation  was  held 
with  him  across  the  river,  and  plans  suggested  for  reliev- 
ing them.  The  result  was  that  the  men  were  removed  to 
comfortable  barracks  on  the  West  Side  and  needed  appli- 
ances and  physicians  were  furnished.  Captain  Norton 
came  ashore  and  went  into  retirement,  with  a  friend,  for  a 
day  or  two,  and  the  'Clay  '  was  thoroughly  fumigated, 
and  in  three  or  four  days,  she  left  for  Buffalo.  Some  of 
the  men  having  died  here,  they  were  buried,  on  a  bluff 
point,  on  the  West  Side.  But,  in  the  interim,  the  disease 
showed  itself  among  our  citizens  in  various  localities, 
among  those  who  had  not  been  exposed  at  all  from  prox- 
imity to  the  boat,  or  to  those  of  us  who  had  been  most 
connected  with  the  work  that  had  been  done.  The  faces 
of  men  were  blanched,  and  they  spoke  with  bated  breath, 
and  all  got  away  from  here  who  could.  How  many  per- 
sons were  attacked  is  unknown  now,  but  in  the  course  of 
a  fortnight  the  disease  became   less  virulent  and  ended 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  24s 

within  a  month,  about  fifty  having  died.  About  the 
middle  of  October  following,  a  cold  rain-storm  occurred, 
and  weeks,  perhaps  months,  after  the  last  case  had 
ceased  of  the  previous  visitation,  fourteen  men  were 
seized  with  cholera  and  all  died  within  three  days.  No 
explanation  could  be  given  as  to  the  origin,  no  others 
being  affected,  and  that  was  the  last  appearance  of  it  for 
two  years.  In  1834,  we  had  another  visitation,  and  some 
deaths  occurred,  but  the  people  were  not  so  much  scared."" 
To  the  above  graphic  description  of  a  trying  time,  may 
be  added  the  statement  of  another  prominent  Clevelander, 
made  to  the  writer  in  person  some  years  ago.  This  was 
Captain  Lewis  Dibble, ^'^  who  simply  tells  a  story  in  which 
he  had  a  personal  part.  "  I  was  here  in  the  two  cholera 
scares,"  said  he.  "We  had  heard  a  great  deal  of  it,  and 
some  marvelous  tales  were  told  of  men  walking  along  the 
streets  and  falling  dead,  with  others  of  the  same  char- 
acter. It  was  in  1832.  I  was  on  the  schooner  'America,' 
and  Mr.  May  asked  me  whether  I  would  lay  up  or  go  on  to 
Buffalo,  where  the  disease  was  then  raging.  I  replied 
that  I  would  probably  have  to  face  it  one  place  or  another, 
and  that  it  might  as  well  be  Buffalo  as  here.  We  accord- 
ingly went  down.  We  saw  a  great  many  hearses  going 
to  and  fro,  and  I  must  confess  that  things  did  not  look 
pleasant.  When  we  came  back  (to  Cleveland),  we  found 
a  guard  on  the  dock,  as  the  people  were  determined  that 
no  ships  with  cholera  on  board  should  stop  here.  The 
wind  was  well  in  the  northeast,  and  we  came  in  at  a  good 
pace.  The  sentry,  a  man  named  Marshall,  caught  sight 
of  us,  and  when  he  saw  me  he  sung  out  'Any  sick?'  I 
answered  that  we  had  none,  and  he  said  it  was  all  rio'ht.  ' 
•  When  the  *  Henry  Clay  '  came  in  here  on  her 
way  back  from  carrying  troops  up  to  the  Black  Hawk 
War,  she  had  a  number  of  cases  on  board.  There  was 
great  excitement,  and  many  declared  she  should  not  re- 
main, soine  wishing  to  go  down  and  burn  her.      I  remem- 

59"  Personal  Statement,"   by  Captain  Lewis   Dibble. — "Annals   of  the 
Early  Settlers'  Association,"  No.  7,  p.  56. 


24^  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

ber  her  captain  came  up  town  in  disguise,  and  stopped 
for  a  time  at  the  tavern  kept  by  Mr.  Abbey.  I  entered 
the  place  once  and  saw  him,  but  before  I  spoke  to  him, 
he  gave  me  a  look  that  explained  the  situation  and  led  me 
to  hold  my  peace.  On  one  occasion  water  was  wanted  at 
the  cholera  hospital  on  Whisky  Island,  and  no  one  could 
be  got  to  take  it  there.  My  vessel  was  at  the  foot  of  Su- 
perior street.  We  took  two  casks  to  a  spring  near  Supe- 
rior street,  filled  them,  and  then  rowed  them  down  the 
river  to  the  point  of  destination.  Word  came  in  from 
Doan's  Corners  that  Job  Doan,  the  father  of  W.  H.  Doan, 
was  down  with  it  and  needed  help.  A  man  named  Thomas 
Coolihan  and  I  agreed  to  go  out  and  see  him.  We  got  a 
buggy  and  went  to  the  Franklin  House,  where  we  waited 
a  long  time  before  a  couple  of  doctors  whom  we  expected 
came  in.  They  then  mounted  another  buggy  and  we 
drove  out,  the  hour  being  quite  late.  We  all  four  went 
in.  The  doctors  looked  at  him,  shook  their  heads,  and 
going  out  returned  to  the  city.  He  was  in  great  agony. 
When  we,  the  other  two,  went  up  to  the  bed,  he  took  our 
hands,  and  by  his  look  showed  that  he  was  in  great  pain. 
Captain  vStark  and  a  man  named  Dave  Little  stood  over 
him,  rubbing  him  all  the  time.  It  was  no  use.  We  re- 
mained about  an  hour  and  then  returned  to  the  city.  An 
hour  after  we  left,  he  died." 

The  subject  of  a  water  supply,  and  of  increased  fire  pro- 
tection, both  came  before  the  Cleveland  public  for  dis- 
cussion, if  not  for  very  definite  action,  in  the  year  1833, 
In  June,  an  act  was  passed  by  the  Legislature  incorpo- 
rating the  Cleveland  Water  Company,  with  Philo  Scoville 
and  others  as  incorporators.  They  were  granted  the  privi- 
lege of  furnishing  water  to  the  Village  of  Cleveland,  but  it 
does  not  appear  that  anything  was  done  for  the  accom- 
plishment of  that  laudable  purpose.  In  March,  1850,  this 
act  was  so  amended  as  to  extend  their  privileges;  the 
company  was  organized,  and  some  stock  subscribed, 
but  again  nothing  came  of  it ;  and  it  was  some  years 
before   such   active    steps  were  taken    that    the     founda- 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  247 

tion  of  the  great  system  of  to-day  was  successfully  laid. 

The  purchase  of  Cleveland's  first  fire-eng-ine,  and  the 
criticism  of  that  action  upon  part  of  the  village  authorities, 
have  been  related  in  detail  elsewhere.  In  1833,  a  volun- 
teer fire-company,  Live  Oak  No.  i,  as  it  was  called,  came 
into  existence,  although  there  was  no  regular  organiza- 
tion. The  foreman  was  Captain  McCurdy.  Out  of  this, 
there  grew,  in  1834,  a  regularly  organized  company,  called 
Eagle  No.  i,  of  which  McCurdy  was  also  foreman.  The 
organization  of  a  regular  department  soon  followed,  and 
Neptune  No.  2,  Phoenix  No.  4,  Forest  City  Hook  and 
Ladder  Company  No.  i,  and  Hope  Hose  Company  No.  i, 
were  the  component  parts  thereof;  there  was  a  No.  3,  but 
it  was  composed  of  boys,  and  had  no  official  recognition. 
In  April,  1836,  Cataract  No.  5  was  added.  The  first 
chief  of  the  department  was  Samuel  Cook,  with  Sylvester 
Pease  as  first  assistant,  and  Erastus  Smith  as  second  as- 
sistant. The  succeeding  chiefs  of  the  old  volunteer 
department  were  as  follows : 

Sept.  29,  1837,  H.  L.  Noble,  chief;  Erastus  vSmith  and 
Jonathan  Williams,  assistants.  June  14,  1838,  T.  Lemmon 
made  chief .  April  3,  1839,  T.  Lemmon  resigned,  and  John 
R.  St.  John  succeeded.  June  29,  1840,  J.  R.  Weatherly, 
chief;  A.  vS.  Sanford  and  N.  Haywood,  assistants.  June 
19,  1 84 1,  J.  R.  Weatherly  continued,  with  Thomas  W'ell 
and  C.  W.  Hurd,  assistants.  June  13,  1842,  M.  AL  Spang- 
ler,  chief;  John  Outhwaite  and  Zachariah  Eddy,  assistants. 
June  7,  1843,  John  Outhwaite,  chief;  Jacob  Mitchell  and 
W.  R.  Virgil,  assistants.  June  26,  1844,  M.  M.  Spangler, 
chief;  C.  W.  Hurd  and  Zachariah  Eddy,  assistants.  June 
2,  1845,  A.  S.  Sanford,  chief;  W.  E.  Lawrence  and  James 
Barnett,  assistants.  June  2,  1846,  John  Gill,  chief;  Joseph 
Proudfoot  and  James  Bennett,  assistants.  June  19,  1847, 
M.  M.  Spangler,  chief;  S.  S.  Lyons  and  C.  M.  Reed,  as- 
sistants. June  5,  1848,  S.  S.  Lyon,  chief;  W.  E.  Lawrence 
and  George  Cross,  assistants.  June  22,  1849,  James  Ben- 
nett, chief;  William  Sabin  and  John  R,  Radcliff,  assistants. 
June  4,  1850,  M.  M.  Spangler,  chief;  T.  C.  Floyd  and  John 


24S 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


Kilby,  assistants.  June  3,  1851,  M.  M.  Spangler,  chief;  T. 
C.  Floyd  and  William  Delany,  assistants.  June  15,  1852, 
Jabez  W.  Fitch,  chief;  William  Delany  and  John  Bennett, 
assistants. 

The  City  Council,  in  1853,  refused  to  set  a  time  for  the 
election  of  a  chief,  and  for  some  subsequent  time  they  were 
chosen  directly  by  the  people.  General  J.  W.  Fitch  was 
followed  by  William  Cowen,  who.  in  turn,  gave  way  to 
James  Hill,  who  held  the  office  until  the  breaking  out  of 
the  war,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Edward  Hart.  The 
latter  was  re-elected  in  1862,  but  the  law  was  once  more 
changed,  and  the  City  Council  elected  James  Craw.  Mr. 
Hill  was  aofain  made  chief  on  his  return  from  the  war.      It 

would,  of  course,  be  impossible 
to  give  all  the  changes  that  oc- 
curred in  the  make-up  and 
leadership  of  the  various  com- 
panies in  this  long  series  of 
years,  but  we  may  glance  at  the 
constitution  of  the  department 
in  1850,  as  follows:  Eagle  No. 
I  ;  Forest  City  No.  2  ;  Saratoga 
No.  3  ;  Phoenix  No.  4;  Cataract 
No.  5  ;  Red  Jacket  No.  6;  For- 
est City  Hook  and  Ladder  No. 
I.  Neptune  No.  7  was  organ- 
ized in  1853,  and  Hope  No.  8  in  1852.  When  Ohio  City 
was  annexed,  Washington  No.  i  and  Forest  No.  2,  already 
organized  upon  that  side  of  the  river,  became  respectively 
Nos.  9  and  10  of  the  Cleveland  department.  Alert  Hose 
Company  was  organized  in  1857,  and  Protection  Hose 
Company  in  1858.  It  is  said  that  upon  the  breaking  out 
of  the  war  in  1861,  fully  two-thirds  of  the  active  mem- 
bers of  the  department  answered  the  country's  call  for 
volunteers,  which  is  a  significant  illustration  of  the  char- 
acter of  the  men  of  which  that  old  department  of  unpaid 
firemen  was  composed. 

The  reorganization  of  the  department  came  in  1863,  as 


JABEZ    W.     FITCH. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  24^ 


will  be  shown  when  the  events  of  that  year  are  under  con- 
sideration. It  would  not  be  just,  however,  to  dismiss  the 
old  volunteer  service  without  some  recognition  of  its 
services,  and  the  public-spirited  efforts  and  personal 
braverv  of  those  havinof  its  fortunes  in  charofe.  One  citi- 
zen,  who  was  acquainted  with  the  whole  subject  through 
personal  contact  and  personal  knowledge,  has  borne  such 
minute,  expert  testimony  upon  that  point,  that  I  cannot 
forbear  reproducing  it  quite  fully:  "  It  was  simply," 
says  George  F.  Marshall,''"'  "a  concentrated  man  power, 
with  willing  hands  and  without  horses  or  steam.  It  com- 
prised a  goodly  share  of  the  young  blood  of  the  city — young 
men  Avith  more  muscle  than  money — men  strong  of  arm  and 
fleet  of  foot — men  who  had  no  other  purpose  in  '  running 
with  the  machine  '  than  a  desire  to  do  something  worthy 
their  manhood.  Of  those  who  did  not  belong  to  that  volun- 
teer band  were  Joel  Scranton,  Philo  Scoville,  Benjamin 
Harrington,  Nathan  Perry,  Peter  M.Weddell, George  Kirk, 
Moses  White,  Erastus  Gaylord,  Dr.  Long,  Levi  vSartwell, 
Daniel  Worley,  Melancton  Barnett  and  many  more  like 
them,  whose  hearts  were  in  the  work,  but  were  not  fleet 
of  foot  enough  to  keep  out  of  the  way  of  the  engine. 
Many  young  men  who  had  not  a  farthing  in  combustible 
matter  at  stake,  except  what  covered  their  backs  or  was 
at  the  washerwoman's,  were  the  most  active  men  in  the 
department.  They  could  work  with  the  same  vigor  to 
save  the  poor  man's  cottage  from  the  flames  as  the  rich 
man's  palace;  while  on  parade  and  drill  days  they  would 
march  with  a  more  stately  tread,  and  run  with  greater 
speed,  if  they  but  knew  their  sweetheart  was  among  the 
spectators.  This  young  city  was  miserably  poor  in  those 
early  days,  and  she  was  small  as  well,  while  there  were 
scattered  here  and  there  a  pretty  good  lot  of  combustible 
dwellings  and  places  of  business  which  needed  the  super- 
vising care  of  a  well-drilled  fire  department.  The  '  ma- 
chines' were  well  enough  for  those  times,  but  they  were 

""  "  The  early  Fire  Department  of  Cleveland,"  by  George  F.  Marshall. — 
"  Annals  of  the  Early  Settlers'  Association,"  No.  g,  p.  245. 


2^0  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

heavy  to  handle,  while  the  streets,  during  one-third  of 
the  year,  were  nearly  impavSsable,  and  the  common  council 
forbade  the  running  of  fire-engines  on  the  sidewalks. 
The  entire  compensation  to  individual  volunteers  was 
rated  according  to  the  roll-call  of  the  companies,  who  ap- 
peared at  the  six-monthly  drills  and  parades  each  year — 
one  dollar  each,  while  the  city  orders  were  at  a  discount 
and  protested  for  non-payment.  The  real  service  was 
performed  for  the  honor  and  glory  of  the  enterprise,  as 
well  as  the  fun  to  be  had  between  times  of  hard  work." 

We  are  further  told  that  at  the  tap  of  the  old  Baptist 
Church  bell,  repeated  in  quick  succession,  the  town  would 
become  alive  with  hurrying  people,  whether  it  were  day 
or  night.  Among  those  most  certain  to  respond  to  this 
call  to  duty  were  such  sturdy  and  active  men  as  ]Milo 
Hickox,  J.  L.  Weatherly,  J.  W.  Fitch,  James  A.  Craw, 
E.  C.  Rouse,  John  E.  Carey,  Elijah  vSanford,  Jefferson 
Thomas,  B.  W.  Dockstader,  John  Proudfoot,  John  Gill, 
B.  L.  Spangler,  Jacob  Lowman,  C.  W.  Heard,  Nelson 
Hayward,  Samuel  Mason,  and  many  others.  The  facili- 
ties for  obtaining  water  were  not  good,  and  limited  "  to 
four  or  five  cisterns,  located  at  street  corners,  the  Ohio 
Canal,  the  river;  and  although  there  was  a  vast  lake  on 
one  side  of  the  city,  the  waters  were  never  utilized  for  the 
purposes  of  the  department.  The  cisterns  or  reservoirs 
were  often  out  of  repair  and  out  of  water,  while  some  of 
the  enofines  in  trving  for  water  from  them  were  com- 
pelled  to  act  like  some  of  our  modern  political  newspa- 
pers— they  would  throw  nothing  but  mud." 

It  was,  also,  in  1833,  that  yet  another  of  the  powerful 
church  organizations  of  the  Cleveland  of  to-day  came  into 
existence.  On  the  i6th  of  February,  of  that  year,  the 
First  Baptist  Church  of  Cleveland  was  organized,  under 
the  pastoral  care  of  Rev.  Richmond  Taggart.  The  ser- 
mon was  delivered  by  Rev.  Moses  Wares,  of  Columbia,  and 
the  charge  to  the  church  by  Rev.  T.  B.  Stephenson,  of 
Euclid.  The  newly-created  society  came  into  the  fellow- 
ship of  the  Rocky  River  Baptist  Association  on  Septem- 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


25r 


ber  28th,  1833.  The  first  meetings  were  held  in  either 
that  universally  useful  place  of  gathering-,  the  old  Acad- 
emy on  St.  Clair  street,  or  the  Court-House,  until  the  erec- 
tion of  their  own  place  of  worship  on  the  corner  of 
Seneca  and  Champlain  streets.  This  was  a  brick  struct- 
ure, the  foundations  of  which  were  laid  in  1834,  the  dedi- 
cation occurring  on  February  25th,  1836.  The  church 
cost  thirteen  thousand 
dollars,  and  was,  at 
that  time,  considered 
one  of  the  largest  and 
most  attractive  in  that 
section  of  the  west. 
The  society  gained 
steadily  in  strength 
and  usefulness;  and  in 
1855  purchased  of  the 
Plymouth  Congrega- 
tional Church  a  brick 
church  building,  on  the 
corner  of  Euclid  ave- 
nue and  Erie  street, 
where  services  were 
first  held  on  April  8th. 

The  Hon.  John  A.  Foot,  who  passed  a  long  and  useful 
life  in  this  city,  was  among  the  arrivals  of  1833.  He  was 
a  native  of  New  Haven,  Connecticut,  and  the  son  of 
Samuel  A.  Foot,  governor  of  that  State,  who,  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  United  States  Senate,  introduced  that  his- 
toric resolution  in  reference  to  the  public  lands,  which 
called  forth  the  memorable  Webster- Hayne  debate.  Mr. 
Foot  was  a  graduate  of  Yale,  and  upon  his  arrival  in 
Cleveland  formed  a  law  partnership  with  Sherlock  J.  An- 
drews, which  continued  until  the  latter  was  elected  to  the 
bench.  In  1837,  Mr.  Foot  was  elected  to  the  State  Legisla- 
ture by  the  Whigs,  and  afterwards  served  as  a  member  of 
the  City  Council,  and  was  president  of  that  body.  He  was 
elected  to  the  State  Senate  in  1853.      In  his  later  years,  he 


FIRST    HAPTIST    CHIRCH,     1836. 


252 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


t 
4 


was  connected  with  various  educational  and  reformatory 
institutions,  and  performed  many  useful  labors  for  the 
good  of  mankind.  He  passed  from  life  on  July  i6th,  1 891 . 
Another  notable  accession,  in  the  same  3^ear,  came  in  the 
person  of  Thomas  Burnham,  one  of  the  city's  early  busi- 
ness men.  He  was  a  native  of  Saratoga  County,  New 
York,  and  was  for  some  time  master  of  a  freight  boat  run- 

nine:   from  White- 

hall  to  Albany, 
on  the  Champlain 
Canal.  In  1833, 
he  concluded  to 
abandon  boat  life, 
was  married  on  Oc- 
tober 29th  of  that 
year,  and  on  the 
same  day  set  out 
with  his  young 
wife,  and  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  dol- 
lars, to  try  his  for- 
tune in  the  then 
far  west,  in  Ohio. 
The  conveyances 
by  which  they 
reached  their  final 
destination  were 
various  in  kind, 
and  their  journey 
FIRST  KAi'TisT  ciuRcii  OF  TO-DAY.  illustratcs      some- 

what  the  common  methods  of  travel  in  that  day.  They 
were  conveyed  by  team  from  Glens  Falls  to  Saratoga, 
where  they  took  the  cars  to  Schenectady.  Railroading 
was  then  a  primitive  thing,  and  the  line  upon  which 
they  rode  possessed  cars  fashioned  like  stage-coaches,  run- 
ning on  a  strap  rail,  and  drawn  by  three  horses  driven 
tandem.  The  Schenectady  and  Albany  line  was,  at 
that  time,  employing  steam  power,  but  the  new  motive 


-\ 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  233 

power    was    not    as    yet    used    on    the    smaller    roads. 

At  Schenectady,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Burnham  took  passage 
on  a  boat  on  the  Erie  Canal,  and  proceeded  to  Buffalo, 
where  they  embarked  on  the  steamer  "  Pennsylvania  " 
for  Cleveland.  The  boat  was  a  slow  one,  her  fuel  green- 
wood, and  as  she  stopped  at  every  port  along  the  way  to 
receive  and  discharge  freight,  four  days  and  four  nights 
were  consumed  in  the  passage.  Soon  after  his  arrival, 
Mr.  Burnham  took  charge  of  a  school  on  the  west  side  of 
the  river,  in  Brooklyn  township ;  Ohio  City  not  having 
been  created.  The  school  building  was  located  on  the 
corner  of  Washington  and  Pearl  streets,  and  among  the 
pupils  who  attended  were  A.  J.  Wenham,  Henry  and 
Mark  S.  Castle,  and  Josiah  Barber.  Mr.  Burnham  after- 
wards entered  business  life,  where  he  was  very  successful, 
and  served  as  Mayor  of  Ohio  City  for  two  terms. 

A  somewhat  touching  incident,  connected  with  a  fa- 
mous Indian  chief  and  his  visit  to  Cleveland,  has  been 
related  by  Harvey  Rice  "^^  as  occurring  in  this  year,  and 
will  bear  relation.  "  At  the  close  of  the  Black  Hawk 
War,  in  1833,"  says  he,  ''  the  chieftain,  Black  Hawk,  and 
several  of  his  band  were  taken,  in  the  custody  of  a  gov- 
ernment officer,  to  Washington  as  captives,  to  be  dealt 
with  as  the  authorities  might  decide.  The  captives,  in- 
stead of  being  shot,  as  they  expected,  were  kindly  re- 
ceived, and  lionized  by  being  taken  about  town,  shown  its 
wonders,  and  then  sent  through  several  eastern  cities, 
with  a  view  to  convince  them  of  the  invincible  power  of 
the  white  people.  They  were  then  returned,  under  es- 
cort, to  their  homes  in  the  'far  west.'  While  on  their 
return,  the  party  stopped  over  a  day  at  Cleveland,  as  re- 
quested by  Black  Hawk,  in  order  to  give  him  an  oppor- 
tunity to  visit  the  grave  of  his  mother,  who,  as  he  said, 
was  buried  on  the  banks  of  the  Cuyahoga.  He  took  a 
canoe  and  proceeded  alone  up  the  river  to  the  bluff  that 
projects  into  the  valley  from  the  southeast  corner  of  the 

^'  Address  by  Harvey  Rice. — "Annals  of  the  Early  Settlers'  Association," 
No.  10,  p.  301. 


2S4  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

Riverside  Cemetery.  Here  he  remained  for  an  hour  or 
more,  in  silent  meditation,  and  then  rejoined  his  com- 
rades with  a  tear  in  his  eye,  though  it  is  said  that  an  Indian 
never  weeps.  From  the  fact  of  this  visit  to  the  grave 
of  his  mother,  Black  Hawk,  it  may  be  presumed,  was 
born  on  the  banks  of  the  Cuyahoga." 

There  was  another  visitor  to  Cleveland  in  the  same  year, 
who  represented  the  civilization  of  transatlantic  countries, 
even  as  this  unfortunate  Indian  chief  represented  the  sup- 
planted and  departing  savagery  of  the  west.  Unlike  the 
red  visitor,  he  noted  his  impressions  of  the  neighborhood 
and  times,  and  the  same  have  come  to  us  in  the  form  of  a 
letter,  which  this  John  vStair,  of  England,  wrote  from 
"  Newburg,  cotmty  of  Cuyahoga,"  on  August  i6th, 
1833.*^^  He  regarded  Cleveland  as  "an  increasing  place," 
and  "for  the  size  of  it,  the  prettiest  town  I  have  seen  in 
America."  He  believed  that  its  situation  on  the  lake 
was  so  commanding,  that  it  would  soon  be  a  place  of  great 
importance,  and  even  then  the  inhabitants  were  beginning 
to  have  a  taste  for  the  fine  arts,  "so  that  a  person  who  un- 
derstood drawing,  music,  etc.,  so  as  to  teach  it  well,  might 
make  money  apace  there."  Each  letter  that  he  mailed  to 
England  cost  him  twenty-five  cents;  large  turkeys  could 
be  purchased  in  the  Cleveland  market  at  fifty  cents  each ; 
fowls,  one  shilling;  roasting  pigs,  twenty-five  cents;  mut- 
ton, beef,  pork,  veal,  etc. ,  from  two  to  four  cents  per  pound ; 
butter,  nine  cents,  and  cheese,  six.  Cows  could  be  pur- 
chased for  from  ten  to  twenty-five  dollars  each,  and  horses 
from  thirty  to  one  hundred.  "  This  is  a  poor  man's  coun- 
try," he  adds,  "  but  unless  he  has  land  or  can  labor  hard, 
a  man  with  a  family  of  small  children  stands  but  a  poor 
chance.  Situations  for  single  men  are  very  scarce,  except 
as  bar-tenders  at  taverns,  clerks,  etc."  He  complained  of 
the  great  scarcity  of  a  circulating  medium — "  frequently 
men  who  are  possessed  of  a  good  farm  and  considerable 
stock  are  weeks  and  months  without  a  cent ;  they  barter, 

'^•-  "  An  Old  Letter."—"  Annals  of  the  Early  Settlers'  Association,"  No. 
4.  P-   40. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  235 

or  as  they  call  it,  trade  for  almost  everything.  Many 
raise  all  they  eat,  with  few  exceptions,  such  as  tea,  coffee, 
etc.  They  raise  their  own  wool  and  flax,  which  are  spun 
and  woven  by  the  women  for  clothing,  so  that  a  farmer  is 
the  most  independent  person  in  this  country."  Mechan- 
ics of  all  descriptions  met  with  ready  employment. 
Women  school-teachers  were  paid  six  dollars  per  month, 
and  "  boarded  around  "  with  the  parents  of  their  pupils. 
Men  teachers  received  from  ten  to  twenty  dollars  per 
month,  and  also  obtained  a  living  by  swinging  around 
the  circle  of  the  district.  There  were  a  few  select  or 
private  schools,  one  of  which  Mr.  Stair  kept  in  Newburg. 
Another  entertaining  view  of  the  Forest  City,  in  the 
same  year,  may  be  briefly  quoted,  as  supplemental  to  the 
above  :'''^  "  Few  places  in  the  western  country  are  so 
advantageously  situated  for  commerce,  or  boast  greater 
population  and  business.  Here  is  the  northern  termination 
of  the  Ohio  Canal,  309  miles  in  length,  by  which  this  village 
will  communicate  wath  Columbus  and  Cincinnati,  with 
Pittsburgh,  St.  Louis  and  New  Orleans.  •  •  •  An  inspec- 
tion of  the  map  will  show  that  Cleveland  has  a  position  of 
extraordinary  advantage,  and  it  only  requires  a  moderate 
capital,  and  the  usual  enterprise  of  the  American  char- 
acter, to  advance  its  destiny  to  an  equality  with  the  most 
flourishing  cities  of  the  west.  Two  years  ago,  it  had 
one  thousand  inhabitants ;  it  has  now  two  thousand,  and 
is  rapidly  increasing.  The  vicinity  is  a  healthy,  fertile 
country,  as  yet  mostly  new%  but  fast  filling  up.  An  arti- 
ficial harbor,  safe  and  commodious,  constructed  by  the 
United  States,  often  presents  twenty  to  thirty  sloops, 
schooners,  and  steamboats." 

*■*  This  account  is  taken  from  an  article  written  by  E.  Randell,  of  Tiffin, 
Ohio,  to  the  "  Cleveland  Leader  "  some  years  since.  He  says  that  it  is 
quoted  from  the  "  Casket  "  of  1833. 


CHAPTER   XI. 

THE    CITY    OY    CLEVELAND. 

The  era  of  railroad  building,  that  was  inaugurated  in 
America  with  such  wide-spread  results,  in  the  decade  from 
1830  to  1840,  brought  Cleveland,  for  the  first  time,  within 
its  direct  influence  in  the  early  days  of  1 834.  On  the  3rd  of 
March,  of  that  year,  an  act  was  passed  by  the  Ohio  Legis- 
lature incorporating  an  organization  by  ''the  name  and 
style  of  the  Cleveland  and  Newburgh  Railroad  Com- 
pany." Those  named  in  the  act  as  corporators  were 
Aaron  Barker,  David  H.  Beardsley,  Truman  P.  Handy, 
John  W.  Allen,  Horace  Perry,  Lyman  Kendall,  and  James 
S.  Clark.  They  were  authorized  to  construct  a  railroad 
"  from  some  point  in  lot  No.  413  in  Newburgh  township, 
to  the  harbor  in  Cleveland;"  permitted  to  transport 
freight  and  passengers  "  by  the  power  and  force  of 
steam,  animals,  or  other  mechanical  force,  or  by  a  com- 
bination of  them."  The  terminus,  at  the  eastern  end, 
was  near  a  stone  quarry  on  the  lot  named,  which  was 
itself  near  the  corner  of  the  four  townships — -Cleveland, 
Euclid,  Warrensville  and  Newburg.  There  was,  immedi- 
ately, a  vScene  of  activity  in  that  neighborhood,  as  the  ex- 
pectations of  the  American  people  as  to  what  could  be  ac- 
complished by  aid  of  a  railroad,  even  though  run  by  horse- 
power, were  very  great.  A  depot  was  put  up,  and  the  farm 
lands,  lying  round  about,  were  cut  up  into  building  lots. 

The  authorized  stock  was  fifty  thousand  dollars,  which 
was  subscribed,  and  construction  commenced.  Ahaz 
Merchant  was  chief  engineer.  The  track  was  laid  through 
Euclid  street,  and  across  Doan  Brook,  and  thence  on  up  to 
the  quarry,  near  where  Adelbert  College  now  stands. 
The  rails  were  made  of  wood,  and  two  horses  driven  tan- 
dem constituted  the   motive  power.     The  line  ran  along 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  257 


the  south  side  of  the  Public  Square,  while  the  depot  was 
a  part  of  the  barn  of  the  Cleveland  Hotel,  which  stood 
upon  the  present  site  of  the  Forest  City  House.  The 
Square  was,  at  that  time,  the  dumping  ground  of  the  stone 
brought  in.  This  first  "railroad"  of  Cleveland  was 
operated  only  for  a  few  years  and  then  abandoned,  the 
rotting  ties  and  rails  remaining  for  a  long  time  a  public 
nuisance  upon  the  highway.*'^ 

There  was  a  quiet  but  steady  growth  all  through  1834, 
but  nothing  of  a  startling  nature  to  chronicle.  The  Cuya- 
hoga Steam  Furnace  Company  was  organized  in  that  year, 
the  chief  stockholders  being  Josiah  Barber,  Richard  Lord, 
Luke  Risley  and  Charles  Hoyt.  The  plant  was  located  at 
the  corner  of  Detroit  and  Center  streets,  and  for  many 
years  it  was  the  chief  iron  manufacturing  concern  of  the 
city.  The  first  locomotive  made  west  of  the  Alleghanies 
was  manufactured  there,  and  also  the  machinery  for  the 
first  screw  propeller  to  run  upon  the  lakes.  In  1841,  the 
company  manufactured  a  large  number  of  cannon  for  the 
United  States  Government,  and  at  a  later  date  enlarged 
its  scope  of  operations  for  the  making  of  plows,  castings, 
mill-irons,  etc.  The  locomotive  above  referred  to  was 
made  for  a  newly-constructed  railway  between  Detroit 
and  Pontiac,  Michigan,  and  after  twelve  years  of  use,  was 
in  such  good  condition  that  it  was  sold  for  nearly  its  first 
cost.  At  these  works  were  also  built  the  locomotives  first 
used  on  the  Cleveland,  Columbus  &  Cincinnati  Railroad, 
and  also  those  on  the  Cleveland  &  Ashtabula. 

Another  venture  for  the  year    1834  was  the  establish- 

^■*  The  ready  pen  of  George  F.  Marshall  has  touched  up  this  pioneer  line 
in  these  words:  "  The  Cleveland  and  Newburgh  Railway  was  an  accom- 
plished fact,  had  its  day,  carried  its  loads  of  human  freight  and  blue  stone 
combined,  yielded  up  its  dividends  and  the  ghost  simultaneously,  and 
where  is  it?  •  •  •  The  line  of  route  was  directly  through  Euclid  street, 
and  a  single  passenger-coach  carried  all  the  human  freight  that  sought 
transit ;  one  horse  was  quite  enough  for  any  car-load,  and  we  prided  our- 
selves that  we  had  a  street  railroad  in  real  good  earnest,  and  two  trips 
a  day  were  quite  enough  for  all  the  travel." — "  A  Sketch  of  Early  Times 
in  Cleveland,"  by  Geo.  F.  Marshall. — "  Annals  of  the  Early  Settlers'  As- 
sociation," No.  I,  p.  100. 


2sS  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

ment  of  yet  another  newspaper,  the  Cleveland  "  Whig-." 
We  have  seen  how  the  "  Herald  "  came  into  being,  and 
also,  noted  the  birth  and  death  of  its  short-lived  prede- 
cessor, the  "  Gazette  and  Commercial  Register."  From 
1 8 19  to  1832,  the  "  Herald  "  seems  to  have  held  the  field 
without  a  rival.  In  the  year  last  named,  it  veered  some- 
what toward  Democracy,  or  "  Jacksonianism,"  as  it  was 
called  at  a  time  when  Andrew  Jackson  dominated  his 
party.  The  Cleveland  Whigs  were  naturally  not  pleased 
Avith  this  course,  and  a  number  of  them  set  to  work  for  the 
creation  of  a  counteracting  agency.  Madison  Kelley  was 
persuaded  to  undertake  the  task,  and  in  1832  established 
the  "  Advertiser,"  as  an  out-and-out  Whig  organ.  John 
W.  Allen  wrote  the  first  editorial,  and  the  party  back  of 
the  venture  were  pleased  with  the  tone  of  their  new  de- 
fender; and  yet  such  is  the  irony  of  fate,  that  out  of  this 
Whig  organ  grew  that  staunch  Democratic  newspaper, 
the  Cleveland  "Plain  Dealer,"  while  the  "Herald" 
finally  came  around  to  the  support  of  the  Whigs. 

The  '  *  Advertiser  ' '  Avas  sold  in  1 834  to  Canfield  &  Spen- 
cer, who  continued  its  publication  as  a  Democratic  weekly 
paper  until  1836,  when  it  became  a  daily.  J.  W.  and  A. 
N.  Gray  purchased  it  in  1841 ,  and  changed  the  name  to  the 
"  Plain  Dealer,"  by  which  name  it  has  been  known  since. 

The  "  Whig,"  which  appeared  on  the  20th  of  August 
(1834),  was  published  by  Rice  &  Penniman,  and  existed 
about  two  years.  During  several  succeeding  years,  the 
ambition  of  various  parties  took  the  direction  of  newspa- 
pers, and  the  little  city — for  such  it  was  soon  called — suf- 
fered no  dearth  of  periodical  literature.  In  1 836,  came  the 
"  Messenger,"  which  died  within  a  year;  and  in  the  same 
year  the  "Ohio  City  Argus  "  was  established  on  the  West 
Side,  by  T.  H.  vSmead  and  Lyman  W.  Hall — quite  Whig- 
gish  in  its  tendencies,  but  not  very  partisan.  Col.  Charles 
Whittlesey  established  the  "  Cleveland  Daily  Gazette" 
in  1836,  which  united  with  the  "  Herald  "  in  1837,  under 
the  name  "  Daily  Herald  and  Gazette."  "  The  Liberal- 
ist  "  came  in  1836,  and  was  so  skeptical   in  its  tendencies 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  ssg 


that  it  failed  of  support,  and  died  within  a  year.  The 
"  Journal  "  came  into  existence  in  1836;  the  "  Commer- 
cial Intelligencer"  in  1838;  the  "Axe"  in  1840;  the 
"  Agitator  "  in  1840;  the  "  Morning  News,"  the  "  Palla- 
dium of  Liberty,"  the  '*  Eagle-Eyed  News-Catcher,"  and 
the  "  Morning  Mercury,"  were  the  products  of  1841,  and, 
during  several  succeeding  years,  other  like  attempts  were 
made,  only  to  be  overtaken  by  the  same  fate. 

Three  churches  were  added  to  the  growing  religious 
and  moral  agencies  of  Cleveland  in  1834.  vSt.  John's 
Episcopal,  on  the  West  Side,  was  organized  in  this  year, 
and  held  services  in  school-houses  and  in  the  resi- 
dences of  its  members  until  1836,  when  a  commodious 
stone  church  building  was  erected  on  the  corner  of 
Church  and  Wall  streets.  The  First  Congregational 
Church  was  also  organized  on  December  2  ist,  with  a  mem- 
bership of  thirty-eight.  There  were  at  this  tiine  but  fif- 
teen German  families  in  Cleveland.  A  meeting  of  several 
of  these  was  held,  where  they  organized  the  German 
Evangelical  Protestant  Church  society.  The  early  meet- 
ings were  held  in  the  old  Bethel  building,  between  Water 
street  and  Superior  street  hill,  until  1836,  when  the 
societv  moved  to  what  was  known  as  the  Third  Ward 
vSchool,  on  vSt.  Clair  street. 

The  name  of  Henry  B.  Payne '^^  first  appears  on  the  public 

''^  Henry  B.  Payne  has  made  his  mark  upon  the  history  of  Cleveland  in 
a  deep  and  lasting  manner.  Born  in  Hamilton,  New  York,  he  was  edu- 
cated at  Hamilton  College;  studied  law;  came  to  Cleveland  in  1832,  and 
.after  admission  to  the  bar,  entered  into  partnership  with  H.  V.  Willson. 
He  early  took  part  in  the  conduct  of  public  affairs ;  was  a  member  of  the 
City  Council ;  president  of  the  Cleveland  <&  Columbus  Railroad  Company ; 
member  of  the  first  board  of  water-works  commissioners ;  sinking-fund 
■commissioner;  city  clerk;  elected  to  the  State  Senate  in  1851 ;  was  Demo- 
cratic nominee  for  United  States  Senator  in  1851,  but  was  beaten  by 
Ben  Wade  by  only  one  vote ;  was  Democratic  candidate  for  governor  in 
1857,  but  was  defeated  by  Salmon  P.  Chase  by  but  a  few  hundred  votes; 
served  as  delegate  to  a  number  of  presidential  conventions.  Mr.  Payne 
was  elected  to  Congress  from  the  Cuyahoga  district  in  1874,  and  was  a 
member  of  the  famous  Tilden-Hayes  electoral  commission.  In  1880,  he 
was  a  prominent  candidate  for  the  Democratic  nomination  for  President. 
He  rounded  out  a  long  and  honorable  public  career  by  election  to  the 
"United  States  Senate  in  1884.     He  died  on  September  gth,  i8g6. 


ini  iJM>^MfcMlMW*ii^ 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  2sg 

that  it  failed  of  support,  and  died  within  a  year.  The 
"  Journal  "  came  into  existence  in  1836;  the  "  Commer- 
cial Intelligencer"  in  1838;  the  "Axe"  in  1840;  the 
"  Agitator  "  in  1840;  the  "  Morning  News,"  the  "  Palla- 
dium of  Liberty,"  the  ''  Eagle-Eyed  News-Catcher,"  and 
the  "  Morning  Mercury,"  were  the  products  of  1841,  and, 
during  several  succeeding  years,  other  like  attempts  were 
made,  only  to  be  overtaken  by  the  same  fate. 

Three  churches  were  added  to  the  growing  religious 
and  moral  agencies  of  Cleveland  in  1834.  St.  John's 
Episcopal,  on  the  West  Side,  was  organized  in  this  year, 
and  held  services  in  school-houses  and  in  the  resi- 
dences of  its  members  until  1836,  when  a  coiumodious 
stone  church  building  was  erected  on  the  corner  of 
Church  and  Wall  streets.  The  First  Congregational 
Church  was  also  organized  on  December  2  ist,  with  a  mem- 
bership of  thirty-eight.  There  were  at  this  time  but  fif- 
teen German  families  in  Cleveland.  A  lueeting  of  several 
of  these  was  held,  where  they  organized  the  German 
Evangelical  Protestant  Church  society.  The  early  meet- 
ings were  held  in  the  old  Bethel  buildintj,  between  Water 
street  and  vSuperior  street  hill,  until  1836,  when  the 
society  moved  to  what  was  known  as  the  Third  Ward 
School,  on  St.  Clair  street. 

The  name  of  Henry  B.  Payne ^'^  first  appears  on  the  public 

^=  Henry  B.  Payne  has  made  his  mark  upon  the  history  of  Cleveland  in 
a  deep  and  lasting  manner.  Born  in  Hamilton,  New  York,  he  was  edu- 
cated at  Hamilton  College;  studied  law;  came  to  Cleveland  in  1832,  and 
after  admission  to  the  bar,  entered  into  partnership  with  H.  V.  Willson. 
He  early  took  part  in  the  conduct  of  public  affairs ;  was  a  member  of  the 
City  Council;  president  of  the  Cleveland  &  Columbus  Railroad  Company; 
member  of  the  first  board  of  water-works  commissioners ;  sinking-fund 
commissioner;  city  clerk;  elected  to  the  State  Senate  in  1851;  was  Demo- 
cratic nominee  for  United  States  Senator  in  1851,  but  was  beaten  by 
Ben  Wade  by  only  one  vote ;  was  Democratic  candidate  for  governor  in 
1857,  but  was  defeated  by  Salmon  P.  Chase  by  but  a  few  hundred  votes; 
served  as  delegate  to  a  number  of  presidential  conventions.  Mr.  Payne 
was  elected  to  Congress  from  the  Cuyahoga  district  in  1874,  and  was  a 
member  of  the  famous  Tilden-Hayes  electoral  commission.  In  1880,  he 
was  a  prominent  candidate  for  the  Democratic  nomination  for  President. 
He  rounded  out  a  long  and  honorable  public  career  by  election  to  the 
United  States  Senate  in  18S4.     He  died  on  September  yth,  1896. 


2bo  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

records  of  Cleveland  in  1834,  when  he  served  as  a  clerk 
of  elections.  He  had  become  a  resident  of  Cleveland  the 
previous  year,  and  formed  a  law  partnership  with  H.  V. 
Willson,  his  former  class-mate.  The  long  and  valuable 
connection  of  Mr.  Payne  with  Cleveland,  and  her  public 
interests,  will  be  shown,  from  time  to  time,  in  the  record 
that  follows. 

There  was  commenced  in  the  ofhce  of  the  clerk  of  Cuya- 
hoga County,  on  September  26th,  1834,  a  record  book 
which  the  law  compelled,  but  Avhich  reads  now  with  little 
credit  to  the  law-makers  of  Ohio.  It  is  still  in  existence, 
in  the  dusty  files  of  that  office,  although,  let  us  say  thank- 
fully, the  use  for  it  has  long  since  passed  away.  Upon 
the  first  page  is  this  entry:  "  Record  of  Black  and  Mu- 
latto persons,  certificates  of  freedom,  bonds,  etc."  It 
was  commenced  in  accordance  with  the  requirements  of 
an  act  of  the  Ohio  Legislature  of  1804,  which  provided 
that  "  no  black  or  mulatto  person  shall  be  permitted  to 
settle  or  reside  in  this  vState  unless  he  or  she  shall  first 
procure  a  fair  certificate  from  some  court  within  the 
United  States  of  his  or  her  actual  freedom,  and  requiring 
every  such  person  to  have  such  certificate  recorded  in  the 
clerk's  office  in  the  county  in  which  he  or  she  intended  to 
reside." 

The  law  further  provided  that  it  should  be  unlawful, 
and  punishable  with  a  fine,  to  employ  any  such  person 
not  provided  with  a  certificate  of  this  character.  Another 
act  was  passed  in  the  same  year,  making  it  punishable 
with  a  fine  to  harbor  or  secrete  any  "  black  or  mulatto 
person,"  and  also  imposing  a  fine  of  one  thousand  dollars 
upon  anyone  who  aided  or  assisted  in  the  removal  of  any 
such  person — "the  property  of  another."  In  1807,  a  law 
as  to  slaves  was  enacted  to  the  effect  that  no  negro  or 
mulatto  should  be  permitted  to  settle  within  the  State, 
unless  such  person  should,  twenty  days  thereafter,  enter 
into  a  bond,  with  two  or  more  freehold  sureties,  "con- 
ditioned for  the  good  behavior  of  such  negro  or  mulatto, 
and  to  pay  for  the  support  of  such  person  in  case  he  or 


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THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  261 

she  be  found  within  any  township  unable  to  support  him 
or  herself." 

The  first  entry  in  this  book,  as  above  stated,  was  made 
in  1834,  and  the  last  one  appears  in  185 1.  One  Thornton 
Kinney,  in  one  of  the  earliest  registrations,  was  described 
as  "a  man  of  dark  complexion,  age  twenty-one  years, 
five  feet  nine  inches  high,  and  was  free  born. ' '  Another  is 
that  of  "Jesse  Burrell,  about  forty-nine  years  of  age ;  has  a 
scar  on  the  forehead,  and  one  over  the  left  eye."  This 
bears  the  attestation  of  Robert  F.  Paine,  clerk,  by  William 
Waterman,  deputy.  Public  opinion  upon  the  question  of 
slave-holding  was  very  much  divided  in  Ohio,  even  at  that 
late  date,  the  general  view  being  that  it  was  a  necessary 
social  and  political  institution  for  the  South,  and  that  it 
was  the  duty  of  the  North  to  protect,  so  far  as  in  their 
power  lay,  the  slave-holders  in  the  possession  of  their 
human  chattels. 

It  will  hardly  be  necessary  to  apologize  for  yet  another 
digression  at  this  point,  for  the  purpose  of  taking  a  per- 
sonal view'  of  Cleveland  in  this  year  1835,  through  the 
eyes  of  one  who  was  then  a  sturdy  boy,  and  now  an  hon- 
ored jurist  and  useful  citizen — Hon.  James  D.  Cleveland.*^'' 
"  As  the  steamer  came  up  the  river,"  writes  Judge 
Cleveland,  "the  boy  read  the  signs  on  the  warehouses — 
Richard  Winslow,  Blair  &  Smith,  Foster  &  Dennison,  W. 
V.  Craw,  Robert  H.  Backus,  Gillett  &  Hickox,  C.  M.  Gid- 
dings,  N.  M.  Standart,  M.  B.  Scott,  Griffith  &  Standart, 
Noble  H.  Merwin — and  passed  scores  of  steamers,  schoon- 
ers and  canal  boats,  exchanging  wheat  and  flour  from  in- 
terior Ohio  for  goods  and  salt  to  be  carried  to  the  canal 
towns  all  the  way  to  the  Ohio  River.  Walking  up  vSu- 
perior  lane,  a  steep,  unpaved  road,  you  passed  the  stores 
of  Denker  &  Borges;  Deacon  Whitaker's,  full  of  stoves; 
George  Worthington,  hardware;  at  the  corner  of  Union 
lane,  where  Captain  McCurdy  had  lately  retired  from  the 
dry  goods  business;  Strickland  &  Gaylord,   drugs,   etc.; 

^^  "  The  City  of  Cleveland  Sixty  Years  ago,"  by  James   D.  Cleveland, 
in  the  "Cleveland  Leader,"  February  2nd,  1S96. 


262  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

Sanford  &  Lott,  printing  and  book-store ;  and  T.  W.  Morse, 
tailor.  On  reaching  the  top,  Superior  street,  132  feet 
wide,  spread  before  you — the  widest  of  unpaved  streets, 
with  not  a  foot  of  flagged  sidewalk  except  at  the  corner  of 
Bank  street,  in  front  of  a  bank.  It  was  lined  with  a  few 
brick,  two  and  three-story  buildings.  A  town  pump  stood 
at  the  corner  of  Bank  street,  near  the  old  Commercial 
Bank  of  Lake  Erie,  on  the  corner,  of  which  Leonard  Case 
was  president,  and  Truman  P.  Handy  cashier.  There 
were  three  or  four  hotels.  Pigs  ran  in  the  street,  and 
many  a  cow  browsed  on  all  the  approaches  to  it.  Dr.  Long 
had  a  fine  two-story  residence  on  the  corner  of  vSeneca 
street.  Mr.  Case,  C.  M.  Giddings,  Elijah  Bingham,  Will- 
iam Lemon,  John  W.  Allen,  and  a  few  others,  had  resi- 
dences dotted  around  the  Public  Square,  upon  which  the 
old  Stone  Church  occupied  its  present  site,  and  in  the 
southwest  corner  stood  the  court-house.  The  post-office 
occupied  a  little  ten  by  fifty  feet  store-room  in  Levi  John- 
son's building,  below  Bank  street,  and  you  received  your 
letters  from  the  hands  of  Postmaster  Daniel  Worley,  and 
paid  him  the  eighteen  pence,  or  twenty-five  cents  postage, 
to  which  it  was  subject,  according  to  the  distance  it  had 
travelled.  The  great  majority  of  the  best  residences  were 
on  Water,  St.  Clair  and  Lake  streets.  A  few  good  houses 
had  been  built  on  Euclid  avenue,  but  the  Virginia  rail- 
fence  still  lined  it  on  the  north  side,  from  where  Bond 
street  now  is  to  the  Jones  residence,  near  Erie  street, 
where  Judge  Jones  and  the  Senator  (John  P.  Jones)  lived 
in  their  boyhood.  There  were  groves  of  fine  black  oaks 
and  chestnuts  on  Erie  street  between  Superior  and  Pros- 
pect streets,  and  a  good  many  on  the  northeast  part  of 
the  Public  Square,  and  between  St.  Clair  street  and  the 
lake.  With  its  scattered  houses,  its  numerous  groves,  its 
lofty  outlook  upon  the  lake,  its  clear  atmosphere,  as  yet 
unpolluted  by  smoke,  Cleveland  was  as  beautiful  a  village 
.as  could  be  found  west  of  New  Haven." 

The  ship-building  interests  of  the  city  received  a  marked 
impetus,  when,  in  1835,  vSeth  W.  Johnson  opened  a  yard, 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  263 


at  iirst  confining-  himself  to  the  repairing  of  vessels.  He 
soon  turned  his  attention  to  building,  and  the  steam-boats 
"  Constellation  "  and  "  Robert  Fulton  "  were  among  the 
first  of  his  works.  The  establishment  was  increased,  in 
1844,  bv  the  addition  of  Mr.  Tisdale,  and  the  firm  name 
became  Johnson  &  Tisdale.  This  copartnership  lasted 
nineteen  years.  The  firm  of  Quayle  &  Moses  built  a 
number  of  vessels ;  when  Mr.  Moses  retired,  John  Martin 
took  his  place,  the  firm  living  for  a  long  time  in  local 
history  as  Quayle  &  Martin.  From  the  time  of  this  con- 
nection up  to  1869,  they  had  built  fully  seventy-five  ves- 
sels, and  in  one  year  they  turned  out  thirteen.  E.  ]\I. 
Peck  opened  a  yard  here,  his  first  ship  being  the  "  Jenny 
Lind, ' '  of  two  hundred  tons.     He  formed  a  partnership,  in 

1855,  with  I.  U.  ^Masters,  under  the  name  of  Peck  &  ]\Ias- 
ters,  which  existed  until  1864.  Over  fifty  vessels  were 
launched  by  them,  and  after  the  dissolution  of  the  firm, 
Mr.  Peck  carried  on  the  business  alone.  He  built  the 
revenue  cutters  "  John  vSherman  "  and  "'  A.  P.  Fessen- 
den,"  which  were  promptly  accepted  by  the  government, 
and  put  in  commission  on  the  great  lakes.  He  also  con- 
structed a  number  of  other  vessels,  the  greater  part  of 
them  being  of  large  size.  Captain  Alva  Bradley  removed 
his  shipyard  from  Vermillion  to  Cleveland  in  1868,  and 
built  many  vessels  here  before  retiring  from  the  ship- 
building business. 

In  1853,  the  vessel  building  interest  of  Cleveland  took  a 
new  start,  and   made  rapid  and  wonderful  progress.      In 

1856,  a  total  of  thirty-seven  craft  was  reported,  having  a 
tonnage  of  nearly  sixteen  thousand.  This  important  in- 
dustry not  only  held  its  own  afterwards,  but  soon  grew  into 
a  great  and  remarkable  place  in  the  commercial  develop- 
ment of  Cleveland.  Between  1849  ^^^^  1869,  nearly  five 
hundred  vessels  of  all  kinds,  for  lake  navigation,  were 
built  in  the  district  of  Cuyahoga,  nearly  all  of  which  were 
the  production  of  Cleveland  ship-yards.  The  records  of 
the  Board  of  Trade  gave  the  total  registered  tonnage  in 
1884  at  84,295  tons. 


264  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

Carrying  this  marine  record  back  to  1835,  the  year  now 
under  consideration,  we  note  an  increased  activity  along 
the  lake  front,  as  an  unwonted  emigration  to  the  west 
had  set  in.  Cleveland  had  at  that  time  a  population  of 
5,080,  and  was  daily  receiving  additions.  "  Steamers  ran 
from  Buffalo  to  Detroit, "  says  one  chronicle,'^'  "crowded 
w^ith  passengers,  at  a  fare  of  eight  dollars,  the  number  on 
board  of  w^hat  would  now  be  called  small  boats  reaching 
from  five  to  six  hundred  persons.  The  line  hired  steam- 
ers and  fined  them  a  hundred  dollars  if  the  round  trip  was 
not  made  in  eight  days.  The  slower  boats,  not  being 
able  to  make  that  time,  with  any  certainty,  frequently 
stopped  at  Cleveland,  discharged  their  passengers,  and  put 
back  to  Buffalo.  It,  sometimes,  chanced  that  the  shore  ac- 
commodations were  insufficient  for  the  great  crowd  of  emi- 
grants stopping  over  at  this  point,  and  the  steamers 
were  hired  to  lie  off  the  port  all  night  that  the  passen- 
gers might  have  sleeping  accommodations. ' '  From  March 
15th  to  November  28th,  in  the  year  following  (1836),  nine- 
teen hundred  and  one  vessels  of  various  kinds  arrived  in 
this  port,  which  is  certainly  a  large  gain  since  18 18,  when 
the  "  Walk-in-the-Water  "  made  her  first  appearance 
here. 

There  was  a  reason  for  this  sudden  tax  upon  the  hos- 
pitality of  the  Cleveland  hotels,  and  this  increased  num- 
ber of  visitors.  The  spirit  of  speculation  in  land  was  mov- 
ing men  in  an  unusual  degree,  and  towns  and  cities  upon 
paper  were  springing  up  in  all  directions.  There  was 
a  great  rush  toward  the  already-opened  but  undevel- 
oped sections  of  the  west.  Lines  of  emigrant  wagons 
were  seen  almost  daily,  and  the  means  of  transportation 
by  lake  and  canal  were  severely  taxed.  This  boom,  as 
it  would  now  be  called,  had  struck  the  Cuyahoga  Valley, 
and  the  impression,  suddenly,  came  into  the  minds  of 
Clevelanders  that  their  village  had  been  touched  at  last 
by  the  wand  of  destiny,  and  that  all  the  possibilities  of  a 
great  future  lay  within  her  reach.      This  was,  in  a  sense, 

6'  "  Magazine  of  Western  History,"  Vol.  II.,  p.  444. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  263 

set  in  the  Avay  of  realization,  when,  in  1836,  Cleveland 
took  upon  herself  the  dignity  and  responsibilities  of  an 
incorporated  city. 

In  expectation  of  this  important  step,  and  in  an  exten- 
sion of  the  opportunities  for  settlement,  a  number  of  al- 
lotments in  the  outlying  districts  had  been  made.  On 
January  12th,  1833,  Alfred  Kelley  had  made  an  allotment 
of  the  section  lying  west  of  Water  street,  and  immedi- 
ately south  of  Bath  street.  Toward  the  end  of  the  same 
year,  James  S.  Clark,  Edmund  Clark  and  Richard  Hilliard 
made  what  was  called  ''the  Center  Allotment,"  embrac- 
ing all  of  the  land  in  the  first  bend  of  the  riyer.  In 
April,  1834,  Leonard  Case  laid  out  a  ten-acre  lot,  at  the 
southeast  corner  of  the  old  city  plat,  and  widened  the 
Newburg  road  (Broadway),  from  66  to  99  feet,  to  cor- 
respond with  the  original  Ontario  street. 

John  M.  Woolsey,  in  1834,  also  added  to  the  lands  upon 
the  market,  by  an  allotment  of  all  the  two-acre  lots  south 
of  vSuperior  street  and  west  of  Erie  street.  Lee  Canfield, 
Sheldon  Pease  and  their  associates,  in  November,  1835, 
allotted  the  two-acre  lots  at  the  northeast  corner  of  the 
city  plat,  and  laid  out  and  dedicated  Clinton  Park.  In 
January,  1836,  Thomas  Kelley  and  Ashbel  W.  Walworth 
laid  out  the  two-acre  lots  south  of  Ohio  street,  and  also  a 
large  tract  of  land  adjoining  the  same,  and  reaching  to 
the  riyer. 

Preparations  of  the  same  active  nature  were  being  car- 
ried on,  with  an  equal  vigor,  upon  the  other  side  of  the 
river,  where  there  was  also  a  firm  belief  that  manifest 
destiny  foreshadowed  important  things.  We  have  seen, 
already,  how  various  enterprising  capitalists  had,  in  1833, 
purchased  a  tract  of  some  eighty  acres,  and  laid  it  out  into 
lots  and  streets,  and  known  in  the  local  comment  and 
discussion  of  the  day  as  "the  Buffalo  Company  Purchase." 
Several  allotments  "had  also  been  made,  outside  of  this 
section,  by  various  parties  owning  lands  in  that  vicinity. 

Among  the  members  of  the  Buffalo  Land  Company 
were    Philander  Bennett,    Major    A.    Andrews,    Thomas 


2b6  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


Sheldon,  N.  C.  Baldwin,  B.  F.  Tyler,  and  Charles  Wins- 
low.  The  purpose  the  founders  of  the  organization  had 
in  mind,  was  to  drain  and  to  improve  the  lands,  locate 
factories  and  dwellings,  and  make  that  section  the  chief 
point  upon  the  Cuyahoga  River. 

Naturally,  there  was  a  great  deal  of  rivalry  between  the 
two  villages,  and  this  feeling  culminated,  early  in  1S36, 
in  a  contest,  as  to  which  should  be  the  first  to  don  full 
municipal  honors. 

A  bill  had  been  introduced  in  the  State  Legislature  for 
the  incorporation  of  the  City  of  Cleveland.  In  that  meas- 
ure, it  was  directed  that  the  village  council  should  call  an 
■election  for  the  officers  of  the  proposed  corporation  some 
time  in  April,  which  was  the  month  for  the  regular  spring 
elections. 

A  bill  was  also  introduced,  in  the  same  body,  for  the 
incorporation  of  "  The  City  of  Ohio, " ''^  upon  the  other 
side  of  the  river.  It  contained  a  clause  that  officers  should 
be  elected  on  the  third  Monday  in  March.  The  bill  passed 
on  March  3rd,  just  two  days  before  that  incorporating 
Cleveland  became  a  law,  which  was  on  ^larch  5th,  1836. 
Thus  the  west  side  of  the  river,  both  in  the  date  of  the 
law  and  of  the  first  election,  became  a  full-fledged  city 
before  her  older  neighbor  across  the  Cuyahoga  River. 

The  law  described  the  territory  to  be  embraced  within 
the  limits  of  this  new-made  city,  and  declared  that  ''the 
inhabitants  thereof  "  were  created  "a  body  corporate  and 
politic,  by  the  name  and  style  of  the  City  of  Cleveland." 
The  limits  laid  down  were  as  follows : 

"  Beginning  at  Ioav  water  mark  on  the  shore  of  Lake 
Erie  at  the  most  northeastwardly  corner  of  Cleveland,  ten- 
acre  lot  number  one  hundred  and  thirtv-nine,  and  runninof 
thence  on  the  dividing  line  between  lots  number  one  hun- 

^^  It  seems  to  have  been  the  universal  custom  from  the  beginning,  to 
call  the  corporation  across  the  river,  "  Ohio  City. "  Yet  the  fact  is,  that 
it  was  incorporated  under  the  name  "City  of  Ohio,"  and  that  name  ap- 
pears in  all  the  council  records,  from  the  first  page,  in  1S36,  to  that  in 
which  it  is  stated  that  the  council  adjourned  sine  die,  in  1S54,  when  Cleve- 
land and  the  City  of  Ohio  became  one. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  267 


dred  and  thirty-nine  and  (ine  hundred  and  forty,  numbers 
one  hundred  and  seven  and  one  hundred  and  ei^^ht,  num- 
bers eighty  and  eightv-one,  numbers  fifty-live  and  fifty- 
six,  numbers  thirty-one  and  thirty-twc^  and  numbers  six 
and  seven  of  the  ten-acre  U)ts  to  the  south  line  of  the  ten- 
acre  h)ts,  thence  on  the  south  line  of  the  ten-acre  lots 
to  the  Cuyahoga  River,  thence  down  the  same  to  the 
extreme  pinnt  of  the  west  pier  of  the  harbor,  thence  to 
the  township  line  between  Brooklyn  and  Cleveland, 
thence  on  that  line  northwardly  to  the  county  line,  thence 
eastwardly  Avith  said  line  to  a  point  due  north  of  the 
place  of  beginning,   thence  south  to  the  place  of   begin- 


ning. 


The  final  meeting  of  the  trustees  of  the  incorporated  Vil- 
lage of  Cleveland,  was  held  on  the  21st  of  ]March,  1836, 
when  it  was  ordered  that  the  election  to  choose  city  of- 
ficers "under  the  charter  incorporating  the  City  of  Cleve- 
land be  held  in  the  several  (three)  wards  in  said  city,  on 
the  second  Monday  of  April,  1836."  The  judges  and 
clerks  of  said  election  were  appointed,  as  follows: 

First  %i'ard :  Judges,  Richard  Winslow,  vSeth  A.  Abbey, 
Edward  Clark.     Clerks,  Thomas  Bolton,  Henry  H.  Dodge. 

Secofid  ward :  Judges,  Gurdon  Fitch,  Henry  L.  Noble, 
Benjamin  Rouse.  Clerks,  Samuel  Williamson,  George  C. 
Dodge. 

Third  zvard :  Judges,  John  Blair,  Silas  Belden,  Daniel 
Worley.      Clerks,  John  A.  Vincent,  Dudley  Baldwin. 

It  was  ordered  also  that  the  election  in  the  first  ward 
should  be  held  in  the  Court-House;  that  of  the  second 
ward  in  the  lo\ver  room  of  the  vStone  Church;  and  that  of 
the  third  ward  at  the  Academy.  While  these  places 
were,  of  course,  chosen  because  of  locality  and  room,  it 
will  be  noted  that  the  new-born  city  started  off  well,  hold- 
ing its  first  election,  as  it  were,  within  the  visible  portals 
of  the  law,  the  gospel,  and  education. 

The  election  w^as  held  in  due  season,  with  the  follow- 
ing result : 

Mayor:    John  W.  Willey. 


268 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


Aldcniioi :  Richard  Hilliard,  Nicholas  Dockstader, 
Joshua  Mills. 

Marsltal :  George  Kirk. 
Treasurer :   Daniel  Worley. 

First  "ward  eouncilmen :  Morris  Hepburn,  ^John  R.  St. 
John.  William  V.  Craw.  Second  ivard :  Sherlock  J.  An- 
drews, Henry  L.  Noble,  Edward  Baldwin.  Tliird  ward : 
Aaron  T.  Strickland,  A.  M.  C.  Smith,  Horace  Canfield. 

John  W.  Willey,  who  was  then  entrusted  with  the 
honor  and  responsibility  of  serving  as  the  first  mayor  of 
Cleveland,  was  qualified  in  all  ways  for  that  position.  He 
was  of  New  Hampshire  birth,  and  was  twenty-five  years 
of  age,  when,  in  1822,  he  settled  in  Cleveland,  and  began 

the  practice  of  law.  He  was 
thoroughly  fitted  to  make  his 
way  in  a  new  and  growing 
country.  Well  learned  in  the 
law,  of  a  keen  and  penetrat- 
ing mind,  a  logician  by  na- 
ture, and  endowed  with  great 
eloquence  and  wit,  he  soon 
became  a  marked  figure  at  the 
Ohio  bar.  He  served  three 
years  as  representative  and 
three  as  senator  in  the  general 
assembly  of  Ohio.  On  his 
election  as  mayor  of  Cleve- 
land, he  gave  himself  earnestly  to  the  peculiar  demands  of 
a  formative  period,  paying  much  attention  to  the  prepara- 
tion of  the  laws  under  which  the  new  city  commenced  its 
official  life.  He  was  re-elected  mayor,  in  1837,  by  a  large 
majority.  In  1840,  he  was  appointed  to  the  bench  of  the 
common  pleas  court  of  Cuyahoga  County,  which  he  was 
eminently  fitted  to  adorn.  At  the  time  of  his  death, 
which  occurred  in  June,  1841,  he  was  president  judge 
of  the  fourteenth  judicial  district.  Of  the  quality  of 
Judge  Willey's  work  for  the  city.  Judge  Griswold  speaks 
as  follows,  in  the  address  heretofore  quoted : 


MAYOR    JUH.\    W.     WILLEY. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


?6g 


* '  The  act  by  which  the  city  was  incorporated  is  a  most 
excellently  drafted  instrtiment.  It  shows,  on  the  part  of 
its  author,  a  clear  understanding  of  municipal  rights  and 
duties.  The  language  is  clear  and  precise,  and  through- 
out its  whole  length  it  bears  the  impress  of  an  educated, 
experienced  legal  mind.  It  was,  undoubtedly,  the  work  of 
the  first  mayor,  and,  I  may  add,  for  the  purpose  of  furnish- 
ing the  basis  of  wise  city  legislation  for  clearness,  pre- 
cision, and  certainty,  it  will  not  suffer  by  comparison  with 
any  of  the  municipal  codes  enacted  since  the  adoption  of 
the  present  constitution." 

The  first  meeting  of  the  first  City  Council  of  Cleveland, 
was  held  in  the  Court-House  on  April  15th,  1836.  The 
officers  above  named  received  the 
oath  of  office,  and  with  them 
George  Hoadly,^-'  "a  justice  of 
the  peace  for  said  county. ' '  Sher- 
lock J.  Andrews  was  unanimously 
elected  president  of  the  council, 
and  Henry  B.  Payne  was  by  a 
like  vote  made  city  clerk  and  city 
attorney.  At  the  second  meeting, 
a  committee  was  appointed  to  con- 
fer with  the  councils  of  Philadel- 
phia as  to  the  mutual  advantages 
to  be  derived  from  the  build- 
ing of    the    proposed    Cleveland 

&  Warren  Railroad  to  Pittsburg.  The  presentation 
of  the  famous  Columbus  street  bridge  to  the  city  was  ac- 
cepted. Glancing  rapidly  over  the  proceedings  for  the 
next  four  months,  we  glean  these  points  of  historical  in- 
terest,   showing   the   outward    movements   of    municipal 

*^  George  Hoadly  was  one  of  the  marked  men  of  his  da\-.  He  had  been 
a  ttitor  at  Yale,  and,  for  some  time  in  his  early  years,  was  a  writer  on  an 
eastern  journal.  He  served  as  a  justice  of  the  peace,  in  this  city,  from 
1 83 1  to  1846,  and,  during  that  time,  passed  upon  over  twenty  thousand 
cases,  few  of  which  were  appealed,  and  in  not  one  case  was  his  judgment 
reversed.  In  1846,  he  was  elected  mayor  of  Cleveland,  and  made  as  good 
a  chief  municipal  officer  as  he  had  a  justice.  About  forty  years  after  his 
inauguration,  his  son,  George  Hoadly,  was  installed  as  Governor  of  Ohio. 


MAYOR    GEORGE    HOADLY. 


270  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

events:  The  preparation  of  a  law,  authorizing  a  city  loan 
not  to  exceed  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars,  was 
ordered.  Fire  limits  were  established  on  May  4th;  wood 
inspectors  were  appointed,  and  it  was  decreed  that  ''each 
cord  shall  contain  one  hundred  and  twenty-eight  cubic 
feet."  On  ]May  7th,  an  ordinance  was  passed  regulating 
the  fire  department  and  prescribing  that,  ' '  The  fire  depart- 
ment of  the  City  of  Cleveland  shall  consist  of  a  chief  en- 
gineer, two  assistant  engineers,  two  fire  wardens,  in  addi- 
tion to  the  alderman  and  councilinen  (who  are  ex  o-fficio  fire 
wardens),  and  such  fire-engine  men,  hose  men,  hook  and 
axe  men,  as  are,  or  may  from  time  to  time,  be  appointed 
by  the  City  Council."'  It  prescribes  the  duties  of  each 
official  in  full,  and  orders  penalties  for  damaging  or  ob- 
structing the  department  in  any  way.  All  members  of  fire 
companies  were  exempted  from  poll-tax.  On  the  same 
day.  the  first  theater  license  issued  by  the  City  of  Cleve- 
land was  granted  to  Messrs.  Dean  and  ]McKinney,  to  be 
in  force  one  year,  on  the  payment  of  seventy-five  dollars. 
John  Shier  was  appointed  citv  survevor  and  engineer. 
The  intersection  of  Water  and  Superior  streets  was  des- 
ignated as  a  public  stand  for  the  sale  of  wood,  and  Stephen 
Woolverton,  wood  inspector,  was  directed  to  locate  his 
office  near  that  point.  The  Public  Square,  near  Euclid 
and  Ontario  streets,  was  designated  for  the  same  purpose, 
and  Inspector  Samuel  Brown  was  directed  to  locate  his 
office  in  that  vicinity.  The  purchase  of  a  coat,  for  each 
member  of  the  Hook  and  Ladder  Company,  was  ordered. 
Samuel  Cook  was  elected  the  first  chief  engineer  of  the 
fire  department  of  the  City  of  Cleveland ;  Sylvester  Pease 
and  Erastus  Smith  being  chosen  first  and  second  engi- 
neers, respectively.  On  May  3  ist,  a  communication  from 
the  mayor  on  the  subject  of  common  schools  was  read, 
and  referred  to  a  select  committee  of  three,  consisting  of 
Messrs.  Andrews,  Hilliard  and  Hepburn.  The  street  com- 
missioner was  directed  to  procure  a  suitable  ferry-boat,  to 
carry  persons  and  property  across  the  river  at  such  point 
as  the  Council  shcnild  direct.      In  the  proceedings  for  June 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  271 

20th,  the  following  was  agreed  to:  "  That  the  marshal 
is  hereby  directed  to  prosecute  every  person  retailing  ar- 
dent spirits  contrary  to  the  provisions  of  the  ordinance 
regulating  licenses,  after  giving  such  person  six  days'  no- 
tice to  procure  a  license,  and  also  to  prosecute  every  per- 
son who  fails  to  take  out  a  license  within  one  week  after 
the  same  has  been  granted  by  the  Council." 

In  August,  Mr.  Andrews  resigned  his  position  as  presi- 
dent of  the  Council,  Dr.  Joshua  Mills  being  elected  in  his 
stead.  In  ( >ctober,  formal  action  was  taken  for  the  re- 
pairing, (^r  replacing  of  "the  town  pump  near  the  court- 
house." Henry  B.  Payne  resigned  the  position  of  city 
clerk,  and  Georo-e  B.  Merwin  was  elected  to  that  office. 

Leaving,  for  a  time,  the  general  story  of  Cleveland's  ad- 
vance and  development,  we  will  follow  her  official  muni- 
cipal record  during  several  succeeding  vears,  touching 
upon  salient  points  only.  In  ]\Iarch,  1837,  it  was  ordered 
that  the  mayor  should  be  paid  five  hundred  dollars  for 
his  services  during  the  year,  while  each  meinber  of  the 
council  was  awarded  one  dollar  for  each  session  of  that 
body  lie  had  attended.  The  second  citv  election,  that  of 
1837,  resulted  as  follows:  Mayor,  John  W.  Willev  ;  'frcas- 
iirc)\  Daniel  Worley ;  MarsliaL  George  Kirk;  Aldcniicii, 
Joshua  Mills,  N.  Dockstader.  Jonathan  Williams:  Coiiu- 
cihiicn,  George  B.  Merwin,  Alfred  Hall,  Horace  Canfield, 
Henry  L.  Noble,  Edward  Baldwin,  Samuel  Cook,  vSamuel 
Starkweather,  J.  K.  Aliller,  Thomas  Calahan. 

At  the  first  meetino-  of  the  second  Citv  Council,  on 
March  20th,  Joshua  ^lills  was  elected  president;  ().  P. 
Baldwin,  city  clerk  ;  Canfield  &  Spencer,  city  printers;  and 
W.  J.  Warner,  street  commissioner.  A  great  deal  of  small 
business  was  disposed  of  during  the  first  month  or  so,  one 
item  of  which  was  the  appointment  of  a  special  commit- 
tee to  "inquire  into  the  expediency  of  lighting  vSuperior 
street  from  the  river  to  the  Public  Square,  and  how  many 
lamps  will  be  necessary,  and  the  expense  of  lamps,  lamp- 
posts, oil,  etc.,  and  the  best  method  of  defraying  the 
expense  satisfactorilv  to  the  citizens."     A  resolution  was 


2^2 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


adopted  approving  of  a  scheme  for  the  publication  of  a 
city  directory.  Another  resolution  was  adopted,  which 
declared  that  each  individual  who  may  have  license  to  sell 
liquors  in  the  city  shall  be  permitted  to  sell  "at  the  race 
course  for  five  days,  commencing  on  Tuesday,  the  6th, 
provided  each  individual,  before  selling,  pay  the  citv  treas- 
urer ten  dollars."  During  this  year,  some  progressive 
steps  were  taken,  showing  that  Cleveland  had  begun  to 
emerge  somewhat  from  the  village  influences  that  had 
hampered  it  in  the  first  year  of  municipal  rule.  On  June 
5th,  Mr.  Hall  offered  a  resolution  which  declared  that 
"  for  the  erection  of  a  market  or  markets,  the  purchase  of 
grounds  whereon  to  build  school-houses,  and  the  erec- 
tion of  school-houses,  it  is  expedient  for  the  citv  to  bor- 
row on  the  good  faith  and  credit  thereof,  the  sum  of  fifty 
thousand  dollars,  for  a  term  of  years,  at  six  per  cent,  an- 
nual interest,  by  creating 
that  amount  of  stock,  pro- 
vided said  stock  shall  not 
be  sold  under  par." 

This  measure  was  laid 
on  the  table  for  a  time, 
but  was  finally  taken  up 
and  passed.  At  the  same 
time  Mr.  Canfield's  ordi- 
nance for  the  establish- 
ment of  common  schools 
was  also  passed.  During 
the  year  a  number  of  steps 
were  taken,  carrying  these 
important  measures  into  execution. 

At  the  election  of  1838,  Joshua  Mills  was  elected  mayor; 
Alfred  Hall,  N.  Dockstader  and  B.  Harrington,  aldermen; 
George  C.  Dodge,  Moses  A.  Eldridge,  Herrick  Childs, 
Leonard  Case,  B.  Andrews,  Henry  Blair,  Thomas  Cala- 
han,  Tom  Lemen,  and  M.  Barnett,  councilmen ;  Samuel 
Williamson,  treasurer;  and  George  Kirk,  marshal.  At  the 
organization  of  the  Council,  on  March  19th,  N.  Dockstader 


MAYOR    NICHOLAS     DOCKSTADKK. 


THE  HIS  7  OR  V  OF  CLE  VELA  ND.  273 


was  elected  president.  No  city  clerk  was  chosen  at  that 
session,  because  of  the  multiplicity  of  applicants,  but,  on 
the  22nd,  A.  H.  Curtis  was  elected.  The  cost  of  carrying 
on  the  citv.  at  that  time,  can  be  seen  from  a  report  of  the 
Council  finance  committee,  in  which  it  is  stated  that  the 
probable  amount  required  for  general  purposes  for  the 
vear  would  be  §16,745,  exclusive  of  that  needed  for  the 
support  of  the  poor.  The  amount  to  be  collected  from 
licenses  and  debts  due  the  city  would  be  $4  500,  leaving  a 
tax  of  $12,265  to  be  levied.  Help  was  extended  by  the 
citv  in  a  material  way  to  the  first  railroad  effort  that  had 
assumed  anv  formidable  form.  Permission  for  such  action 
having  been  granted  bv  the  Legislature,  Mr.  Dockstader, 
in  January,  1839,  offered  the  following  resolution,  which 
was  adopted: 

"  That  the  board  of  commissioners  designated  to  ex- 
ecute the  wishes  and  directions  of  the  City  Council  and 
citizens  of  Cleveland  in  regard  to  the  construction  of  the 
Cleveland;  Warren  &  Pittsburgh  Railroad,  be  respectfully 
requested  to  subscribe  for  and  take  up  so  much  of  the 
stock  subscribed  by  our  citizens,  for  the  purpose  of  secur- 
ing the  charter  of  the  railroad,  as  will  amount  to  two  hun- 
dred thousand  dollars,  and  that,  in  conjunction  with  the 
directors  of  said  railroad,  immediately  take  measures  to 
procure  a  sufficient  amount  of  subscription  to  construct 
said  road  from  Cleveland  to  the  Pennsylvania  line,  and 
then  to  borrow  the  aforesaid  two  hundred  thousand  dol- 
lars on  the  credit  of  the  city." 

Mr.  Mills  was  re-elected  mayor  in  1839;  ^Samuel  Will- 
iamson was  again  made  treasurer,  and  Isaac  Taylor,  mar- 
shal. John  A.  Foot  w^as  elected  president  of  the  new 
council,  and  James  B.  Finney,  city  clerk. 

During  the  life  of  this  body,  Moses  Kelley  was  appointed 
city  attornev ;  a  great  deal  was  done  in  the  direction  of 
giving  Cleveland  better  school  facilities,  as  will  be  else- 
where shown :  the  city  market  house  on  Michigan  street 
was  built  and  accepted,  and  L.  D.  Johnson  appointed  mar- 
ket clerk.     An  effort  was  made  in  the  direction  of  temper- 


274  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


ance  reform,  and  the  action  concerning  the  same  we  tran- 
scribe in  full  from  the  records  of  January  29th,  1840: 
"  Mr.  Barr's  preamble  and  resolutions  on  the  subject  of 
licenses  was  called  up.  Mr.  Foot  submitted  the  foUowino- 
as  a  substitute :  '  That  the  committee  on  licenses  be  in- 
structed to  report  an  ordinance  for  the  suppresvsion  of 
dram  shops.'  Mr.  Rice  proposed  striking  out  the  words 
'dram  shops,'  and  inserting  'the  sale  of  ardent  spirits 
without  license  in  the  city,'  and  report  at  the  next  meet- 
ing of  the  Council.  Mr.  Foot  accepted  the  amendment." 
At  the  next  meeting  the  following  occurred:  "  The  same 
committee  (  on  licenses  )  also  reported  an  ordinance  for 
the  suppression  of  the  sale  of  ardent  spirits  in  less  quan- 
tities than  one   quart.      Mr.  Kelley  moved   to  strike   out 

'  one  quart  '  and  insert 
'  fifteen  gallons.'  Mr. 
Barr  moved  to  lav  it  on 
the  table.  Lost.  The 
question  was  then  taken 
upon  ]Mr.  Kelley's  amend- 
ment, and  lost.  Mr.  Mill- 
iard moved  to  amend  by 
striking  out  the  words 
'  one  quart '  and  insert  the 
words  '  one  pint,'  which 
was  also  lost.  Mr.  Kel- 
ley moved  to  insert  '  a 
pound  of  bread,'  and  was 
decided  out  of  order.  It  was,  finally,  on  motion  of 
Mr.  Rice,  committed  to  the  same  committee  for  re- 
vision." 

That  was  the  last  heard  of  the  liquor  question  for  that 
year,  at  least,  as  no  further  action  had  been  taken  when 
the  new  Council  came  into  power.  At  the  election  of 
1840,  Nicholas  Dockstader  was  elected  mayor;  Timothy 
Ingraham,  treasurer;  and  Lsaac  Taylor,  marshal. 

Dr.  Mills,  who  for  three  years  held  the  office  of  mayor, 
was   an   efficient   official,  an  estimable   man,  and  a  well- 


GEORGE    A.     KENKUJCl'. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


275 


known  physician.  He  was  born  in  1797,  and  came  to 
Cleveland  about  183  i.  He  practiced  medicine  here,  and 
at  one  time  kept  a  drug  store  on  vSuperior  street.^  He 
died  on  April  29th.  1843.  In  speaking  of  his  character 
and  record,  the  "Cleveland  Herald"  (May  ist  )  said: 
"His  eminence  as  a  physician,  his  usefulness  as  a  citizen, 
his  character  as  a  man,  have  secured  to  him  an  enviable 
reputation,  while  the  frankness,  the  generosity,  the  no- 
bleness of  his  heart,  have  won  the  lasting  love  of  all  who 
knew  him. " 

On  the  organization  of  the  Council  of  1 840,  William 
]\Iilford  was  chosen  president;  J.  B.  Finney,  clerk;  George 
A.  Benedict,  city  attorney;  and  J.  A.  Harris,  city  printer. 
Among  the  proceedings  of  the  vear  we  find  instructions  to 
street  supervisor  to  "  prepare 
and  seed  the  southern  half  of 
the  Public  Sc[uare  in  a  suit- 
able and  proper  manner;"  au- 
thorizaticjn  of  the  same  official 
to  ' '  procure  some  suitable  per- 
son to  sink  the  public  wells, 
so  that  thev  shall  contain  at 
least  three  and  one-half  feet  of 
water,  provided  the  expense 
shall  not  exceed  thirty-five 
dollars."  (Jn  May  6th,  Mr. 
Foot's  ordinance  concerning 
the  liquor  question  was  taken 
up  and  passed,  after  much  discussion.  It  was  entitled 
"an  ordinance  to  regulate  taverns,  and  to  prohibit  the 
sale  of  ardent  spirits  or  other  intoxicating  liquors  by  a 
less  quantity  than  one  quart."  It  was  provided,  further, 
that  no  licensed  tavern  keeper  should  give  or  sell  ardent 
spirits  to  any  child,  apprentice,  or  servant,  without  the 
consent  of  parent,  guardian,  or  employer,  or  to  any  intox- 
icated person.  It  was  during  this  year  that  the  Public 
Square  was  finally  enclosed  with  fences  —  fences  that  it 
took  great  trouble  and  long  discussion  to  remove  in  later 


*^*H;%'''%y' 


JOSIAH    A.     HARRIS. 


2^6 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


years.  In  February,  1841,  the  following  salary  list  was 
agreed  upon:  City  marshal,  three  hundred  dollars  per 
annum;  city  clerk,  four  hundred;  street  supervisor,  four 
hundred;  treasurer,  two  hundred;  market  clerk,  one  hun- 
dred. At  a  later  date,  the  salary  of  the  mayor  was  fixed 
at  one  hundred  dollars  per  year. 

Mr.  Dockstader,  whose  official  life  closed  with  the  end 
of  this  official  year,  will  be  remembered  by  the  older  resi- 
dents of  Cleveland,  as  a  business  man  who  gave  his  time 
freely  to  the  public  when  he  could  be  of  service,  but  who 
by  no  means  made  oflSce-holding  the  purpose  of  his  life. 
He  was  born  in  Albany,  N.  Y.,  on  January  4th,  1802, 
and  came  to  Cleveland  when  but  twenty-four  years  of  age, 
in  1826.  He  soon  after  went  into  business,  and  was  the 
leading  hat,  cap  and  fur  dealer  in  the  city,  until  his  retire- 
ment from  active  business  in 
1858.  He  died  on  November 
9th,  1 871;  was  a  man  of  ster- 
ling qualities,  and  strict  busi- 
ness and  personal  habits, 

John  W.  Allen  was  elected 
mayor  in  1841  ;  Joshua  Mills, 
in  1842;  N.  Hayward,  in  1843; 
and  Samuel  vStarkweather,  in 
1844,  and  re-elected  in  1845. 
Among  the  measures  consid- 
ered, during  this  time,  was  a 
resolution  offered  by  Henry 
Morgan  proposing  the  repeal 
of  the  city  charter,  because  that  form  of  government 
was  expensive  and  no  improvement  over  the  govern- 
ment by  township  officers ;  a  petition  was  presented 
asking  for  an  appropriation  out  of  the  general  fund 
for  the  education  of  colored  children,  which  was  granted 
to  the  extent  of  fifty  dollars;  the  tax  of  1845  was  laid 
at  six  mills  on  the  dollar.  George  Hoadly  was  chosen 
mayor  in  1846;  Josiah  A.  Harris,  in  1847;  Lorenzo  A. 
Kelsey,  in  1848;   Flavel   W.    Bingham,  in   1.849;   William 


MAYOR    NELSON    HAYWARD. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  277 


Case,  in  1850.™  The  first  official  hint  of  the  telegraph  in 
connection  with  Cleveland,  is  heard  in  1847,  when  H.  B. 
Ely,  in  behalf  of  the  Lake  Erie  Telegraph  Company, 
offered  a  petition  asking  permission  to  erect  a  line  through 
the  city.  A  resolution  favoring  the  project  was  offered 
by  Henry  B.  Payne,  and  adopted.  The  records  show 
various  measures  proposed  or  passed,  relating  to  the  giv- 
ing of  city  aid  to  railroads,  schools,  gas  works,  cemeteries, 
etc.,  all  of  which  will  find  consideration  in  their  proper 
place  in  this  record. 

Leaving  the  official  municipal  history  of  Cleveland  at 
the  mid-century  mark,  to  which  it  has  now  been  carried, 
we  retrace  our  steps  to  the  year  1836,  to  consider  the  gen- 
eral fortunes  of  the  rival  municipalities  that  were  sepa- 
rated only  by  the  Cuyahoga  River. 

There  were  several  gentlemen  who  chose  their  homes 
in  Cleveland  this  year,  and  afterwards  left  their  impress 
for  good  upon  the  public  life  in  various  ways. 

Among  these  were  William  Bingham,  who  was  induced 
to  come  here  because  of  the  presence  of  his  cousin,  Flavel 
W.  Bingham,  and  who  long  since  was  counted  among  the 
leading  hardware  merchants  of  the  west;  Franklin  T. 
Backus,  who  afterwards  won  an  enviable  position  at  the 
Ohio  bar;  D.  W.  Cross,  a  member  of  the  bar,  and  promi- 
nent as  a  coal  operator;  and  William  A.  Otis,  business 
man,  iron  maker  and  banker. 

The  early  schools  of  Cleveland,  with  their  seini-private 
and  rather  uncertain  support,  have  been  described  here- 
tofore.    A  new  impetus  to   public  education  was  given 

■">  The  list  of  Cleveland's  mayors,  from  1S50  to  the  present  time,  is  as 
follows:  1851,  William  Case;  1852,  1853,  1854,  Abner  C.  Brownell;  1855, 
1856,  William  B.  Castle;  1856,  1857,  1858,  Samuel  Starkweather;  1859, 
i860,  George  B.  Senter;  1861,  1862,  Edward  S.  Flint;  1863,  1864,  Irvine  U. 
Masters;  1865,  1866,  Herman  M.  Chapin;  1867,  1868,  1869,  1870,  Stephen 
Buhrer;  1871,  1S72,  Frederick  W.  Pelton;  1873,  1874,  Charles  A.  Otis; 
1875,  1876,  Nathan  P.  Payne;  1877,  187S,  William  G.  Rose;  1879,  1880, 
1881,  1882,  R.  R.  Herrick;  1883,  1884,  John  H.  Farley;  1885,  1886,  George 
W.  Gardner;  1887,  1888,  B.  D.  Babcock;  1889,  1890,  George  W.  Gardner; 
1891,  1892,  William  G.  Rose;  1893,  1894,  Robert  Blee;  1895,  1896,  Robert 
E.  McKisson. 


lliE  HISTORY  OF  C  LEV  EL  A  XL). 


on  the  incorporation  as  a  city,  and  anions-  the  earliest 
communications  considered  by  the  first  Citv  Council  Avas 
■one  from  ]\Iayor  Willey  upon  the  subject  of  public  schools. 
On  June  9th.  ]\lr.  Craw  introduced  a  resolution  for  the 
appointment  of  a  committee  who  should  employ  a  teacher 
and  assistant  to  continue  the  "  free  school  "  to  the  end  of 
the  quarter,  or  "until  a  school  system  for  the  city  shall 
be  organized  at  the  expense  of  the  city."  It  was  so  or- 
dered. This  had  reference  to  a  school,  the  oricrin  of 
which  is  said  to  have  been  as  follows :  "A  vSunday  school 
was  organized  in  the  old  Bethel  Church,  probably  in  1833 
or  1 834,  a  kind  of  mission  or  ragged  school.  The  children, 
however,  were  found  so  ignorant  that  Sundav  school  teach- 
ing, as  such,  was  out  of  the  question.  The  time  of  the 
teacher  was  obliged  to  be  spent  in  teaching  the  children 
how  to  read.  To  remedy  this  difficulty,  and  make  the 
Sunday  school  available,  a  day  school  was  started.  It  was 
supported  by  voluntarv  contributions,  And  was,  in  fact,  a 
charity  school,  to  which  none  were  sent  but  the  verv  poor- 
est children."'^  R.  L.  Gazlay,  principal  of  this  school, 
reported  to  the  Council  that  229  children  had  received 
instruction  during  the  quarter  ending  September  20th, 
1836,  and  that  its  maintenance  had  cost  $131.12. 

The  first  Board  of  School  Managers  was  appointed  on 
October  5th,  1S36,  and  consisted  of  the  following  gentle- 
men: John  W.  Willey,  Anson  Haydon,  Daniel  Worley. 
In  the  succeeding  March,  these  gentlemen  reported  that 
they  had  continued  the  common  free  school,  earnestly 
urged  the  city  authorities  to  a  more  liberal  outlay  for 
schools,  and  pointed  out  the  great  need  of  school-houses. 

At  the  same  session  of  the  Council,  ^Nlr.  Noble  offered 
a  resolution  requesting  the  committee  on  schools  "to  as- 
certain and  report,  as  soon  as  convenient,  what  lots  may 
be  purchased,  the  price  and  terms  of  payment,  to  be  used 
for  school  purposes — two  in  the  First  ward,  one  in  the  Sec- 
ond^^ard,  and  one  in  the  Third  ward." 

"'  .Statement  by  Samuel   11.    Mather.  —  P'reese's    "  Early  History  of^the 
•Cleveland  Public  Schools,"  p.  10. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


279 


The  second  Board  of  School  ^Managers,  appointed  in 
April,  1837,  consisted  of  vSamuel  Cowles,  Samuel  William- 
son, and  Philip  Battell.  They  could  do  no  more  than 
continue  the  limited  work  of  their  predecessors,  and  it 
was  universally  agreed  that  enlarged  powers,  and  a  more 
adequate  system,  were  needed  to  keep  pace  with  the  growth 
of  the  city.  "  As  yet,"  says  Mr.  Freese,  in  the  work  al- 
ready quoted,  "the  Citv  Council  had  passed  no  ordinance 
establishing  a  system  of  schools.  The  school  above  re- 
ferred to  (the  free  school)  was  the  only  one  that  had  any 
existence  bv  authority;  neither  did  the  city  own  a  school- 
house,  nor  a  foot  of  ground  upon  which  to  erect  one. 
Cleveland  had  then  a  popu- 
lation of  about  five  thousand ; 
and,  although  no  records  are 
extant  to  show  it,  there  must 
have  been  in  attendance  upon 
the  schools,  private  and  pub- 
lic, no  less  than  eight  hun- 
dred children.  But  the  school 
maintained  by  the  city  had 
an  enrollment  of  less  than 
three  hundred,  so  that  the 
Academy  and  other  private 
schools  still  furnished  in- 
struction to  a  very  large  ma- 
jority of  the  youth  of  the  city." 

The  first  actual  legislation,  upon  the  part  of  the  City  of 
Cleveland,  for  the  creation  of  what  has  long  since  become 
one  of  the  best  school  systems  of  the  country,  was  com- 
pleted upon  July  /th,  1837,  when  the  City  Council  passed 
"an  ordinance  for  the  establishment  of  common  schools." 

This  measure  seems  to  have  been  carefully  and  ably 
drawn,  and  duly  met  the  requirements  of  the  titne.  The 
school  committee  of  the  Council  were  authorized  to  lease 
suitable  buildings  or  rooms  to  be  occupied  for  school  pur- 
poses, provided  they  met  the  approval  of  the  school  man- 
agers.    The  cost  of  the  same  was  not  to  exceed  one-half 


MAYOR    SAMIKL    hTARKWEATHEK. 


28o  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

the  amount  which  the  Council  had  authority  to  appropri- 
ate annually  for  the  construction  of  buildings  for  sch(jol 
purposes.  Needed  apparatus  and  furniture  were  to  be 
provided. 

The  school  managers  were  authorized  to  immediately 
establish,  in  the  rooms  and  buildings  above  provided,  such 
schools  of  elementary  education  as  they  thought  advis- 
able, and  procure  such  instructors  as  were  needed.  The 
term  of  school  was  to  commence  on  the  24th  of  the  same 
month  in  which  the  measure  was  passed,  and  end  on 
the  24th  of  the  next  November.  It  was  carefully  pro- 
vided that  expenses  should  be  kept  within  the  revenues 
available. 

The  first  annual  report  made  by  the  Board  of  School 
Managers  is  signed  by  the  three  gentlemen  above  named, 
and  is  an  interesting  and  suggestive  document.  They 
state  that  rooms  were  provided  by  the  Council  committee, 
and  "two  schools  for  the  sexes  respectively"  were  opened 
in  each  district,  and  kept  open  until  in  November,  as  the 
law  specified.  Three  male  and  three  female  teachers 
were  employed  for  the  full  term.  The  average  attend- 
ance at  each  school  was  not  less  than  forty  pupils,  and 
the  whole  expense  for  tuition  was  $640.82. 

The  winter  term  commenced  on  December  ist,  and  con- 
tinued until  the  end  of  March.  The  same  number  of 
schools  was  provided,  and  as  more  were  found  to  be  nec- 
essary, a  "child's  school"  in  addition  was  established  in 
each  of  the  two  more  populous  districts.  The  managers 
say:  "  Eight  schools,  therefore,  during  the  winter,  were 
sustained,  employing  three  male  and  five  female  teachers. 
There  were  eight  hundred  and  forty  names  on  the  school 
lists,  and  an  aggregate  average  attendance  of  four  hun- 
dred and  sixty-eight.    The  expense  for  tuition  was  $868.62. 

"  The  schools  have  been  wholly  free,  and  open  to  all 
within  the  districts  legally  admitted  to  their  privileges. 
The  boys  and  girls  have  been  entirely  separate,  the  former 
taught  by  male  and  the  latter  by  female  teachers.  The 
child's  schools  were  designed  for  the  younger  scholars  of 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


2S1 


both  sexes,  and  are  taught  by  female  teachers.  The 
teachers  have  been  critically  examined  before  being  em- 
ployed, and  the  schools  duly  inspected,  as  required  by 
charter.  The  wages  given  have  been  to  female  teachers 
$5  per  week,  and  to  male  teachers  $40  per  calendar  month. 
A  uniform  selection  of  books  has  been  prescribed  by  the 
managers,  which,  by  arrangements  with  the  teachers, 
have  been  furnished  to  the   schools  at  wholesale  prices." 

A  census  was  taken  by  the  board  in  October,  1837,  of 
all  persons  within  the  city  between  the  ages  of  four  and 
twenty-one,  with  the  following  result:  First  ward,  918; 
Second  ward,  599;  Third  ward,  665.  The  teachers'  lists 
showed  an  attendance  upon  the  schools  of  840.  The 
managers  declared  that  their  aim  had  been  ' '  to  commence 
the  establishment  of  a  system  of  schools  answering  to  the 
intentions  of  the  city  charter,  to  be  supported  by  the  defi- 
nite income  of  the  treasury  appropriated  to  this  object." 
The  school  income 
for  the  year  amount- 
ed to  $2,830. 

In  their  report  for 
1838-9,  the  managers 
stated  that  in  all  the 
schools  the  common 
English  branches 
had  been  taught, 
while  in  some  con- 
siderable progress 
had  been  made  in 
history,  the  natural 
sciences,  etc.  The 
board  for  this  year 
consisted  of  Silas 
Belden,  Henry  Sex- 
ton, and  Henry  H.   Dodge. 

The  city  purchased  the  Academy  building  in  July, 
1839,  3.t  a  cost  of  six  thousand  dollars.  School  had  been 
kept  in  it  for  the  two  preceding  years.     The  other  schools 


PROSPECT   STREET   SCHOOLHOUSE. 


282 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


*!?#£ 


b" 


had  been  scattered  here  and  there — one  in  the  Farmer's 
block,  one  in  an  abandoned  paint  shop,  and  one  in  a  gro- 
cery store.  It  was  recognized  in  all  quarters  that  better 
accommodations  were  a  matter  of  necessity.  After  some 
agitation,  within  the  Council  and  without,  two  lots  were 
purchased,  one  on  Rockwell  street,  and  one  on  Prospect 
street.  Contracts  were  soon  let  to  Warner  &  Hickox,  the 
price    for   each   building   being    $3,500,    which    included 

seats,  fences,  etc. 
That  upon  Rock- 
well street  was 
completed  in  the 
spring  of  1840,  and 
the  othei  in  the  fall 
of  the  same  year. 
Both  were  of  the 
same  dimensions:  a 
little  over  forty  feet 
long  and  broad,  two 
stories  high,  and 
finished  exactly 
alike. '^^  Upon  the  opening  of  the  schools,  in  the  winter, 
more  than  a  thousand  pupils  made  application,  although 
there  was  room  for  but  nine  hundred ;  the  rest  were 
arranged  for  temporarily  in  some  of  the  buildings  pre- 
viously occupied.  Ainong  the  teachers  who  were  en- 
gaged in  these  early  schools  of  1840,  we  find  the 
names  of  the  following:  N.  A.  Gray,  Elizabeth  Arm- 
strong, Abby  Fitch,  Louisa  Kingsbury,  i\.ndrew  Freese, 
Sophia  Converse,  Emma  Whitney,  Sarah  M.  Thayer, 
George  W.   Yates,    Louisa  Snow,   Julia  Butler,   Caroline 

'•'^  The  "old  district  schoolhouse,"  illustrated  above,  still  stands  on 
Detroit  street  (West  Side);  it  has  been  used  as  a  dwelling  since  1S57. 
Mrs.  John  H.  Sargent  writes  to  the  author  concerning  it  as  follows: 
"  The  schoolhouse  was  built  the  summer  of  1841.  Mr.  Sargent  kept  the 
first  school  held  within  it  in  the  winter  of  1S41-42;  I  kept  the  last  school 
in  it  in  the  winter  of  1856-57.  The  three  school  trustees  were,  my  father, 
Morris  Jackson;  Stephen  Herrick,  and  Henry  Whitman.  Mr.  Saigent 
and  I  were  married  three  weeks  after  my  school  closed  —  we  were  tne 
Alpha  and  Omega  of  the  old  schoolhouse." 


AX    OLD    DISTRICT    SCHOOLHOUSE. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  283 

Belden,   F.  J.   Blair,    Maria  Sheldon,  and  Eliza  Johnson. 

The  services  of  the  best  men  of  Cleveland  were  obtained 
in  the  management  of  these  early  school  boards,  and  to 
their  shrewd  business  wisdom  and  high  educational  ideals, 
may  be  traced  much  of  the  good  which  the  schools  of 
Cleveland  have  been  able  to  do.  Among  them,  in  addi- 
tion to  those  already  mentioned,  may  be  found  the  names 
of  such  men  as  vSamuel  H.  Mather,  Charles  Bradburn, 
Madison  Kelley,  Truman  P.  Handy,  R.  T.  Lvon,  Samuel 
Starkweather,  James  D.  Cleveland,  John  Barr,  Horace 
Benton,  J.  A.  Thorne,  Daniel  P.  Rhodes,  and  R.  B.  Dennis. 

Mayor  George  Hoadly,  in  his  inaugural  address  in  1846, 
seemed  to  think  that  a  time  had  come  for  an  advance 
step  in  the  matter  of  public  education,  and  recommended 
a  school  of  a  higher  grade,  "an  academic  department  " — 
the  pupils  to  be  taken  from  the  common  school,  according 
to  merit.  "  This  would  present,"  he  declared,  "  a  power- 
ful stimulus  to  study  and  good  conduct.  The  poorest 
child,  if  possessed  of  talents  and  application,  might  aspire 
to  the  highest  stations  in  the  republic ;  from  such  schools 
we  might  hope  to  issue  the  future  Franklins  of  our  land." 

The  recommendation  struck  a  responsive  chord,  and 
the  City  Council  soon  took  steps  to  carry  the  idea  into 
action.  Resolutions  were  adopted  declaring  that  a  high 
school  for  bovs  should  be  established,  and  authorizinof 
the  proper  committee  to  take  steps  to  that  end.  Rooms 
were  engaged  in  the  basement  of  a  church  on  Prospect 
street,  Andrew  Freese,  of  one  of  the  grammar  schools,  was 
appointed  principal,  and  the  school  went  into  operation 
on  July  13th,  of  the  same  year,  with  thirty-four  pupils. 
This  number  was  soon  increased  to  eighty-three. "~  A  de- 
partment for  girls  was  added  in  the  spring  of  1847.''^ 

'''■  It  may  be  of  interest  to  name  some  of  these  first  high  school  pupils, 
who,  at  a  later  date,  became  well  known  in  Cleveland,  or  elsewhere,  such 
as  William  W.  Andrews,  J.  C.  Buell,  Oscar  A.  Childs,  George  W.  Childs, 
Kennedy  Clinton,  George  W.  Gardner,  John  P.  Jones,  John  M.  Sterling, 
Jr.,  George  W.  Tibbitts,  John  F.  Whitelaw. 

"  The  semi-centennial  anniversary  of  the  founding  of  this  high  school 
was  celebrated  on  Wednesday,  April  ist,   1S96,  by  a  gathering  of  former 


284 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


There  was  no  small  opposition  to  the  establishment  of 
this  high  school,  many  holding  that  it  had  been  created 
without  authority  of  law,  and  that  in  any  case  it  was  not 
expedient,  nor  justified  by  public  needs.  The  tax-payers 
were  generally  in  favor  of  the  common  schools,  where 
the  pfreat  mass  of  children  could  be  educated  in  the  ele- 
mentary  branches,  but  there  was  a  wide  division  concern- 
ing the  public  teaching  of  the  higher  branches. 

The  question  was  carried  into  the  City  Council.  On 
March  24th,  Henry  B.  Payne  offered  a  resolution  declar- 
ing that  as  the  money  appropriated  for  school  purposes 
belonged  to  the  common  school,  and  as  over  two  thou- 
sand children  in  Cleveland,  over  four  years  of  age,  did 
not  attend  school,  while  those  who  did  attend  were  crowd- 
ed beyond  all  measure,  pro- 
visions should  be  made  for 
the  erecting  of  new  school- 
houses,  and  employment  of 
additional  teachers,  until  "  an 
opportunity  for  obtaining  a 
thorough  common  school  ed- 
ucation is  furnished  to  every 
child  in  the  city,  over  four 
years  of  age."  The  resolu- 
tion further  declared  that, 
until  this  object  was  attained, 
it  was  inexpedient  to  sustain 
a  select  high  school  at  the 
charge  of  the  common  school  fund ;  and  directed  that  a  se- 
lect committee  of  three  be  appointed  to  inquire  into  and  re- 
port upon  the  expediency  of  providing  for  the  permanent 
establishment  of  a  high  school,  by  requiring  a  tuition  fee 
not  exceeding  six  dollars  per  year, [and  the  appropriation  of 
a  sum  equal  thereto  from  the  general  fund  of  the  city.   Such 

pupils,  at  the  Central  High  School  building,  on  Willson  avenue.  Some 
fifteen  hundred  were  present.  All  of  the  living  members  of  the  class 
of  1855  attended.  These  were  Mrs.  Moses  G.  Watterson,  Mrs.  A.  M.  Van 
Duzer,  Mrs.  John  D.  Rockefeller,  Miss  Lucy  M.  Spellman,  and  Mr.  Albert 
H.  Spencer. 


MAVUK    LORENZO    A.     KELSEY. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  283 

committee  was  created,  and  consisted  of  Messrs.  Payne, 
Erwin  and  Hickox.  At  the  meeting  of  April  3d,  Mr. 
Doan  offered  a  resolution  continuing  the  old  system  for 
another  year,  which  was  laid  on  the  table.  On  the  four- 
teenth, Mr.  Payne  attempted  the  passage  of  a  resolution 
to  reorganize  the  schools,  making  a  school  district  of  each 
ward,  with  a  high  school  as  the  senior  department  there- 
of. It  was  laid  on  the  table.  At  a  subsequent  meeting 
he  secured  the  adoption  of  a  resolution  directing  that, 
until  otherwise  ordered,  the  high  school  on  Prospect  street 
should  be  opened  for  the  admission  of  girls  equally  with 
boys. 


CHAPTER  XI  L 

MANY    EVENTS    OF   A    FRUITFUL    PERIOD. 

This  determined  fight  for  the  high  school  system,  that 
was  so  successfully  made  by  its  friends,  is  of  especial  in- 
terest because  the  arguments  that  were  made  in  opposi- 
tion then  have  been  heard  with  equal  emphasis  but  less 
effect  in  these  later  days. 

The  matter  was  taken  into  the  newspapers,  and  upon 
the  rostrum.  A  mass  meeting  was  called  in  favor  of  the 
school,  at  which  addresses  were  made  by  Dr.  Fry,  prin- 
cipal of  the  West  St.  Clair  street  grammar  school, 
James  A.  Briggs,  and  Bushnell  White.  The  school 
managers  placed  themselves  upon  the  record  with  the 
declaration  that  it  was  their  firm  conviction  that  the  sys- 
tem was  "  essential  to  the  success  of  the  public  schools," 
and  added:  ''It  is  the  only  way  in  which  they  can  be 
made  in  truth  what  they  are  in  name — common  schools — 
common  to  all;  good  enough  for  the  rich,  and  cheap 
enough  for  the  poor — such  schools  as  will  meet  the  wants 
of  all  classes  in  the  community. ' '  This  was  the  deliberate 
opinion  of  Charles  Bradburn,  Truman  P.  Handy,  vSamuel 
Starkweather,  and  William  Day.  Does  not  that  striking 
sentence — "  good  enough  for  the  rich,  and  cheap  enough 
for  the  poor  ' ' —  sum  up  the  public  school  system  of  Cleve- 
land in  a  word?"^ 

"■*  When  Harvey  Rice  was  addressing  the  Ohio  Senate  in  support  of  his 
bill  for  the  creation  of  the  common  school  system  of  Ohio,  he  made  use  of 
words  that  were  fulfilled  prophecy  long  since.  Said  he :  "  Bj'  the  provis- 
ions of  this  bill,  it  is  intended  to  make  our  common  schools  what  thej' 
ought  to  be — the  colleges  of  the  people — '  cheap  enough  for  the  poorest, 
and  good  enough  for  the  richest. '  With  but  a  slight  increase  of  taxation, 
schools  of  different  grades  can  be  established  and  maintained  in  every 
township  of  the  State,  and  the  sons  and  daughters  of  our  farmers  and 
mechanics  have  an  opportunity  of  acquiring  a  finished  education  equally 
with  the  more    favored  of  the  land.     .      .      .     Allow  me  to  express  my 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


2S7 


The  school  was  avowed  to  run  along  in  its  own  way 
until  the  following-  winter,  when  a  legislative  enactment 
was  secured  from  the  general  assembly  by  which  the  City 
Council  was  "authorized  and  required  "to  establish  and 
maintain  a  high  scho(^l  department.  That  settled  the 
question  of  legality,  and  an  ordinance  was  passed  as  di- 
rected. The  support  given,  however,  was  half-hearted, 
and  for  some  time  the  appropriations  for  support  were 
kept  down  to  the  lowest  possible  sum — about  nine  hun- 
dred dollars  per  year. 

The  average  attendance  during  the  first  three  years  was 
about  eighty.  Two  teachers,  only,  were  employed  up  to 
1852,  when  a  third  was  secured.  A  lot  for  a  high  school 
building  was  pur-  _  _^^^-__  __  _^_         _^^ 

chased  in  185 1, 
and  a  cheap  wood- 
en building  put  up 
for  temp(^rary  ac- 
commodation. In 
1 8 56,  a  stone  struc- 
ture was  erected, 
and  after  many 
years'  use  for 
school  purposes, 
becaine.  at  last, 
the  headquarters  for  the  Board  of  Education  and  the 
Public  Librarv,  in  which  useful  service  it  still  continues. 
It  cost  about  twenty  thousand  dollars,  and  was  dedicated 
on  April  ist,   1856. 

As  has  been  shown,  the  management  of  the  early 
schools  was  in  the  hands  of  a  board  appointed  by  the  Cit}" 
Council.  This  continued  until  1858,  when  a  change  was 
made.  After  1841,  the  secretary  of  the  board  was  paid  a 
small  salary,  and  was  called  the  acting  manager,  the  ex- 
ecutive and   clerical  work  beincr  left  largelv  in  his  hands. 

belief  that  the  day  is  not  far  distant  when  Ohio,  in  the  noble  cause  of  pop- 
ular education  and  of  human  rights,  will  lead  the  column,  and  become 
what  she  is  capable  of  becoming — a  star  of  the  first  magnitude — the  bright- 
est in  the  galaxy  of  our  American  Union." 


TIIK    FIRST    HKIH    SrH(i<iI.    in-ILI>INC.. 


288 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


Visiting  committees  were  appointed  from  time  to  time, 
whose  duties  have  been  defined  thus:  "  These  commit- 
tees are  recommended  by  the  board  and  appointed  bv  the 
Council,  but  represent  neither.  They  are  the  representa- 
tives of  the  people,  appointed  to  examine  the  schools  and 
to  make  known  the  results  of  the  examination  through 
their  reports  to  the  board.  They  are  requested,  also,  to 
suggest   such  amendments,  improvements,   and  changes, 


CLEVELAND    PUKLIC    LIHKAKV    KLlLDLNCi. 


as  they  may  deem  essential  to  the   success  and  prosperity 
of  the  schools."'-^ 

As  the  citv  g^rew,  and  the  schools  increased  in  size  and 
importance,  the  need  of  increased  facilities,  and  more 
direct  management,  was  keenly  felt.  In  response  to  this 
demand,  Richard  C.  Parsons,  in  ]SIav,   1853,  intrr)duced  an 

'5  Samuel  H.  Mather,  secretary  of  the  board,  1S54. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


28g 


ordinance  in  the  City  Council,  establishing  the  office  of 
superintendent  of  instruction.  It  became  a  law  in  June, 
and  in  the  same  month  Andrew  Freese,  principal  of  the 
high  school,  was  appointed  to  the  position,  which  he  held 
until  August,  1 86 1,  when  L.  M.  Oviatt  became  his  suc- 
cessor, and  in  two  years  was  himself  succeeded  by  Anson 
Smyth. 

Municipal  law-making  and  the  founding  of  schools, 
were  by  no  means  the  only  measures  by  which  these  two 
newly-born  cities  of  the  Cuyahoga  valley  made  use  of 
their  lately  acquired  legislative  powers.  Attention  was 
paid  to  the  condition  of  the  lake  front,  which  was  a  matter 
of  great  importance  now  that  the  lake  marine  was  so  rap- 
idly growing.  In  1837,  an  act  was  passed  incorporating 
the  Lake  Shore  Company,  which  had  authority  to  take  such 
steps  as  were  necessary  to  protect  the  lake  banks  from  the 
encroachments  of  the  water,  and  as  payment  for  their 
expenditures,        permission 

was    granted    the    company  „ J#': >" '  ^^^'^-^k-^ 

to  build  wharves  and  piers. 
Little,  if  anything,  was  done 
under  this  authority,  but  at 
a  later  date  the  city  em- 
ployed Col.  Charles  Whit- 
tlesey, at  considerable  ex- 
pense, to  drive  piles  along 
certain  portions  of  the  lake 
front,  which  work  was  con- 
tinued afterwards  by  the 
railroads  for  their  own  pro- 
tection. Ohio  City,  not  to 
be  outdone,  in  1837,  procured  an  amendment  to  its  char- 
ter, by  which  it  was  given  authority  to  dig  canals,  slips, 
and  basins,  the  cost  of  which  was  to  be  charged  to  the 
abutting  property.  Of  this  amendment.  Judge  Griswold, 
in  the  valuable  document  already  quoted,  has  said:  ''  By 
this  act  a  large  parcel  of  territory  in  the  southwest  part  of 
that  city  was  carried  back  into  the  township  of  Brooklyn. 


COL.     CHARl.F.S    WHITTLESEY. 


2go  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


That  city  proceeded  under  the  act  to  construct  a  canal  lead- 
ing out  of  the  old  river  bed,  and  paid  for  the  same  by  this 
seductive,  but  ruinous  method  of  taxation  to  defray  the 
cost  of  public  improvements.  The  scheme  was  a  failure, 
but  the  dry  bed  of  the  canal  has  since  been  utilized  for 
the  laying  of  railroad  tracks.  From  want  of  means,  be- 
ing unable  to  enter  upon  the  construction  of  railroads, 
the  citizens  of  Cleveland  contented  themselves  with  pro- 
curing charters  for  the  construction  of  plank  roads  lead- 
ing out  on  all  the  principal  highways  from  the  city." 

It  was,  also,  in  1837  that  Cleveland  began  to  have  aspi- 
rations in  a  military  direction,  that  set  its  bounds  a  little 
beyond  the  early  militia,  over  which  Major  Carter  and  his 
associates  held  command,  as  we  have  already  seen.  The 
organization  of  the  companies,  that  stood  ready  to  defend 
their  homes  during  the  war  of  18 12,  has  bean  noted  also. 
About  1 825 ,  a  regularly  formed  military  organization  made 
its  appearance  under  the  name  of  the  "Light  Horse,"  but 
little  is  known  concerning  it,  beyond  the  statement  of  the 
venerable  John  Doan  that  it  "disbanded  in  the  early  thir- 
ties."''' On  August  28th,  1837,  a  number  of  gentlemen 
met  at  the  Cleveland  House  for  the  purpose  of  consider- 
ing the  formation  of  a  military  company,  which  was  to  be 
called  the  "Cleveland  City  Guards."  "After  a  number  of 
meetings,"  says  Mr.  Hodge  in  the  paper  referred  to  in 
note,  "  [Timothy]  Ingraham,  who  had  been  selected  for 
captain,  was  taken  sick,  and  remained  in  poor  health  for 
several  months,  during  which  time  drilling  was  suspended, 
and  nothing  done  towards  perfecting  the  organization. 
In  the  meantime,  a  number  of  other  young  men,  imbued 
with  a  military  spirit,  decided  to  form  a  company  inde- 
pendent of  the  one  already  started.  A  man  by  the  name 
of  Ross  became  the  drill  master,  and  afterwards  was  made 
captain.  As  the  company  started  by  Captain  Ingraham 
and  others  had  shown  no  life  for  several  months,  the  new 

'''  Acknowledgment  of  much  information  upon  this  subject  is  made  to 
Hon.  O.  J.  Hodge,  whose  paper,  "  Cleveland  Military,"  m  the  "  Annals  of 
the  Early  Settlers'  Association,"  Vol.  HI.,  No.  4,  p.  516,  is  a  valuable  his- 
torical document. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  sgr 

company  could  see  no  reason  why  it  might  not  take  the 
name  of  Guards,  and  so  it  did.  The  name  '  Guards  '  at 
this  time  was  very  popular,  and  the  first  military  company 
in  a  citv  was  sure  to  adopt  it.  The  men  under  Captain 
Ino-raham  had  decided  that  the  color  of  their  suits  should 
be  gray,  but  as  there  was  not  cloth  enough  to  be  had  in 
the  citv  of  that  color,  of  the  same  shade,  it  was  evident 
the  companv  must  for  some  time  delay  its  debut,  and  that 
the  new  company,  which  had  been  started  by  Captain  Ross, 
would  be  the  first  to  appear  in  public.  In  view  of  these 
facts,  the  men  under  Captain  Ingraham  decided  on  the  7th 
of  June.  1838.  that  the  name  City  Guards  should  be 
dropped,  and  thereafter  the  company  should  be  called  the 
Cleveland  Greys.  There  was  very  little  objection  to  this, 
since  the  name  so  well  corresponded  with  the  color  of  the 
uniforms.  July  4th,  following,  the  City  Guards  under 
Captain  Ross  turned  out  for  parade.  It  was  the  first  ap- 
pearance of  the  company.  Dressed  in  blue,  with  gold- 
colored  trimmings,  the  men  made  a  very  showy  appear-, 
ance.  At  a  Fourth  of  July  banquet  that  evening,  Mr.  D. 
W.  Cross  proposed  this  sentiment:  '  The  Cleveland  City 
Guards,  may  their  military  spirit  and  enterprise  be  duly 
appreciated  by  our  citizens.'  Mr.  Cross  at  the  tiine  was 
a  member  of  the  Greys,  but  he  admired  the  spirit  the 
Guards  had  shown." 

The  first  appearance  of  the  long-since  famous  Greys 
upon  the  street  in  full  uniform,  was  on  September  6th, 
1838,  and  the  "  Herald  "  spoke  with  the  warmest  praise 
of  their  "neat,  tasty  uniforms,  glittering  bayonets,  pre- 
cise military  evolutions,  and  correct  soldier-like  bearing." 
A  gun  squad  connected  with  the  company  was  soon  after 
formed.  Mention  is  made  of  the  Guards  on  parade  as 
late  as  Julv  4th,  1843,  and  that  is  the  last  we  hear  of 
them.  In  June,  1845,  the  Greys  turned  over  to  the  artil- 
lery squad,  which  had  now  become  an  artillery  company, 
many  equipments ;  and  upon  the  disbandment  of  the  parent 
company,  which  soon  followed,  many  of  its  members 
went   into   the   ' '  Light  Artillery,  "as   it   was  called,  and 


2g2  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


which  was  tinder  command  of  Captain  \).  L.  Wood.  It 
was  in  this  year  ( 1 847 1  that  the  German  Guards  made  their 
first  appearance,  tinder  the  command  of  Captain  Silberg. 
General  A.  S.  Sanford  succeeded  to  the  command  of  the 
Greys  in  1847;  ^'^^  i^^  the  Fourth  of  July  procession  of 
that  year  two  new  organizations  appear  upon  the  scene — 
the  Yagers,  tinder  command  of  Captain  A.  vSeywert,  and 
the  Hibernian  Guards,  under  Captain  P.  A.  McBarron. 

The  mention  of  General  A.  S.  Sanford  in  the  above 
naturally  leads  to  a  work  in  which  he  was  very  much  in- 
terested— Cleveland's  first  citv  directory,  published  in 
1837/'  The  firm  of  Sanford  &  Lott  were  printers,  book- 
binders, stationers  and  publishers.  The  directory  con- 
tained 1339  names,  of  which  275  were  credited  to  Ohio 
City.  It  names  four  newspapers  andteight  church  con- 
gregations as  among  the  citv's  possessions,  and  furnishes 
much  other  valuable  information.  The  city  hospital  was 
situated  in  a  plat  of  four  acres  on  Clinton  street,  in  the 
easterly  part  of  the  city,  and  was  70  by  35  feet  in  size, 
with  two  stories.  There  were  four  public  markets;  one 
theatre,  the ''  Cleveland  "  ;  the  rooms  of  the  Cleveland 
Reading  Room  Association  were  open  daily ;  while  the 
chief  manufacturing  plants  consisted  of  the  following: 
Four  iron  foundries  and  steam-engine  factories,  three  soap 
and  candle  factories,  two  breweries,  one  sash  factory,  two 
rope  walks,  one  stoneware  pottery,  two  carriage  factories, 
and  two  factories  for  the  making  of  millstones.  There 
were  two  banks,  the  Commercial  Bank  of  Lake  Erie,  with 
a  capital  stock  of  $500,000,  and  the  Bank  of  Cleveland, 
$300,000.  The  Cleveland  Citv  Temperance  Society  had  a 
membership  of  260;  while  one  advertisement  declares 
that  "strangers  visiting  the  city  will  find  the  Shakespeare 
saloon  an  agreeable  retreat,  and  every  attention  paid  to 
their  comfort  and  convenience."  The  Cuyahoga  Anti- 
Slavery  Society  was  in   existence,  with  Edward  Wade  as 

"  The  title-page  of  this  interesting  and  rare  vohnne,  a  copy  of  which 
may  be  found  in  the  library  of  the  Western  Reserve  Historical  Society, 
is  here  reproduced. 


i — ~ , 

A 


DIRECTORY 


or  TH^  CITIES  or 


CLEVELAND  &  OHIO, 


W  tk©  Y®®.K§  IQM 


°°®©  2 


€'oia^iti*tg 


HISTORICAL  AND  DESCRIPTIVE  SKETCHES  OY  EACH  PLACE-AN  ALrilABETIC- 
ih  LIST  OF  INHABITANTS,  THEIR  nuSINESS  AND  RESIDENCE-A  LIST  OF  THE 
MUNICirAL  OFFICERS-EVERY  INFORMATION  RELATIVE  TO  THE  PUBLIC  OK- 
yiCES  AND  OFFICERS,  CHU£,C11ES,  ASSOCIATIONS  AND  IN^TlTUTrONS,  SIUP- 
?lNG,.eTEAMSOATS,  STAGES,  A-c.-ALSO^  A  LIST  OF  THE  OFFICERS  OF  THE 
(GOVERNMENT  OF  OHIO-A  TABLE  OF  FOFvEIGN  COISfS  AND  CUPvK.ENCIE3  -AND 
A  VARIETV  OF  OTHEa  USEFUL  INFOR3IATION.  ;* 


BY  JUI.IUS  y.  Box^ry^E  mAc;  oabs. 


CLEVELAND".  j 

SANrORD  &  LOTT,  BOOK  &  JOB  PRINTERS.  '  j 

1837.  I 


i 


^94  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

president;  the  Western  Seaman's  PMend  Society  was 
presided  over  by  Samuel  Cowles;  Mrs.  L.  C.  Gaylord 
was  president  of  the  Cleveland  Maternal  Association; 
David  Long  president  of  the  Cleveland  Anti-vSlavery  So- 
ciety; the  Cleveland  Harmonic  vSociety  had  seven  mem- 
bers; T.  P.  Handy  was  president  of  the  Cleveland  Vocal 
Society;  the  Cleveland  Lyceum  and  the  Cleveland 
Polemic  Association  were  flourishing  concerns,  with  John 
Barr  and  James  vS.  LTnderhill  as  presidents,  respectively ; 
Charles  Whittlesey  was  president  of  the  Young  Men's 
Literary  Association,  and  John  M.  Sterling  of  the  Cleve- 
land Reading  Room  Association. 

Announcement  is  made  of  a  daily  line  of  Ohio  Canal 
packets,  between  Cleveland  and  Portsmouth,  on  the  Ohio 
River.  A  boat  left  this  city  at  four  o'clock  each  afternoon, 
and  reached  the  Ohio  end  in  about  eisfhtv  hours,  if  thines 
went  Avell.  The  Pioneer  Fast  Stasre  Line  to  Pittsburg- 
was  an  established  and  popular  institution.  The  stage 
ran  to  Wellsville,  where  a  boat  was  taken  to  Pittsburcr, 
making  the  trip  occupy  about  thirty  hours.  At  Pitts- 
burg, connection  was  made  with  the  Good  Intent  Fast 
Mail  Stage  Line  for  Philadelphia,  New  York,  Baltimore, 
and  Washington,  over  Avhich  line  those  from  the  Pioneer 
line  had  the  preference. 

A  brief  study  of  some  of  the  advertisements  in  this 
work  may  be  entertaining  and  instructive.  Richard 
Crook,  of  the  Eagle  Tavern  on  the  corner  of  Water  and 
St.  Clair  streets,  returns  his  thanks  for  liberal  patronage. 
The  Cleveland  Center  House  was  located  in  the  Cleveland 
Center  Block,  within  a  few  rods  of  the  steamboat  and.  canal 
packet  landings :  It  was  designed  to  be  one  of  the  prin- 
cipal hotels  in  the  western  country:  A  picture  of  the 
building  show^s  it  to  be  three  stories  high,  with  six  win- 
dows on  each  floor  front.  Books  were  sold  at  wholesale 
and  retail  by  Henry  E.  Butler.  Dr.  Strickland,  a  dentist, 
manufactured  "  incorruptable  teeth,"  and  advertised  that 
families  might  command  his  services  by  the  vear,  or 
•otherwise.     William  R.   Richardson  furnished    warm    or 


35      -J2 


2      Q 


to 


■_; 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  2gs 

shower  baths  at  the  vSpring  Cottage,  Clinton  Park,  three- 
fourths  of  a  mile  from  the  court-house,  near  the  Mineral 
Spring-,  a  coach  leaving  every  hour,  to  convey  passengers 
to  and  from  the  park.  Peter  M.  Weddell  &  Co.  (the  com- 
pany being  Dudley  Baldwin  and  Peter  P.  Weddell )  kept 
''constantly  on  hand,  at  the  old  stand,  corner  of  Superior 
and  Bank  streets,  No.  i  Washington  block,  so  longf  and 
so  favorably  known  to  the  public,  a  very  extensive  assort- 
ment of  dry  goods."  There  are  many  other  announce- 
ments of  a  like  character. 

During  this  somewhat  long  digression,  we  have  left 
Ohio  City  alone  in  its  new  civic  honors,  and  it  is  now 
time  to  note  a  series  of  stirring  events  taking  place  upon 
that  side  of  the  river.  In  April,  1837,  James  S.  Clark  and 
others  laid  out  an  allotment  which  embraced  the  greater 
part  of  Ohio  City  lying  west  and  south  of  that  of  Barber 
&  vSons.  and  called  the  same  "Willeyville."  "When  this 
gentleman  and  his  associates,"  says  Judge  Griswold, 
"  had  made  the  allotment  of  Cleveland  Center,  as  it  was 
called,  they  had  laid  Columbus  street  from  the  north  line 
to  the  river.  In  this  new  plat,. over  the  river,  Columbus 
street  was  laid  out  through  its  center  to  connect  with  the 
Wooster  and  Medina  Turnpike,  as  it  was  called,  at  the 
south  line  of  the  City  of  Ohio ;  the  northern  end  of  said 
street  being  exactly  opposite  the  southern  end  of  the 
Columbus  street  of  the  other  plat.  Mr.  Clark  also 
erected  a  large  block  at  the  northern  end  of  Columbus 
street,  and  two  large  blocks  on  the  opposite  corners  of 
Prospect  street,  where  it  intersects  Ontario." 

The  managers  of  the  Buffalo  Company  had  been  equal- 
ly active,  in  pushing  and  developing  their  interests  upon 
their  own  side  of  the  river.  They  constructed  a  large 
hotel  on  Main  street,  in  the  hope  of  attracting  travelers 
to  that  portion  of  the  city. 

Mr.  Clark  went  a  step  further.  In  laying  out  the  Wil- 
leyville  tract,  he  had  expended  considerable  money  in 
grading  the  hill,  and  thus  bringing  Columbus  street  down 
to  the  river.      He  had  constructed,  also,  a  bridge  across 


2g6  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

the  river,  in  the  expectation  that  travel  and  traffic  from 
the  south  would  come  into  Cleveland,  by  this  route,  and 
then  be  led  up  Michigan  street  to  Ontario  and  Prospect 
streets,  because  of  the  easy  grade. 

A  highly  laudatory  account  of  the  erection  of  this 
bridge,  and  a  detailed  description  of  the  structure  itself, 
may  be  found  in  the  directory  above  referred  to.  It  cost 
some  fifteen  thousand  dollars ;  was  ' '  supported  by  a  stone 
abutment  on  either  shore  and  pieces  of  solid  masonry 
erected  in  the  center  of  the  river.  Between  the  piers, 
there  is  a  draw  sufficient  to  allow  a  vessel  of  forty-nine 
feet  beam  to  pass  through.  The  length  is  two  hundred 
feet,  the  breadth,  including  the  sidewalks,  thirty-three 
feet,  and  the  height  of  the  piers,  above  the  surface  of  the 
water,  may  be  estimated  at  twenty-four  feet.  The  whole, 
with  the  exception  of  the  draw,  is  roofed  and  enclosed, 
presents  an  imposing  appearance,  and  reflects  much 
credit  on  the  architect,  Nathan  Hunt."  "This  splendid 
bridge,"  adds  the  directory  man,  "was  presented  to  the 
corporation  of  Cleveland  by  the  owners,  with  the  express 
stipulation  that  it  should  forever  remain  free  for  the  ac- 
commodation of  the  public,  although  the  Legislature  had 
previously  chartered  it  as  a  toll  bridge." 

The  erection  of  this  bridge,  incidentally,  supplied 
Cleveland  with  one  of  the  inost  exciting  events  of  its 
early  career, —  the  famous  "Bridge  War"  between  Cleve- 
land and  Ohio  City,  has  been  celebrated  in  song  and 
story,  and  supplied  the  pioneer  Clevelanders  with 
a  never-failing  subject  for  anecdote  and  reminis- 
cence. 

The  residents  across  stream  naturally  objected  to  the 
new  structure,  on  the  ground  that  the  people  from  Brook- 
lyn, Elyria,  and  the  country  roundabout,  would  go  over 
to  Cleveland  by  the  new  route,  instead  of  passing  down 
into  Ohio  City,  for  their  trading.  This  meant  a  direct 
loss,  as  each  year  brought  hundreds  of  teams  in,  from  the 
south  and  west,  loaded  with  wheat,  flour,  corn,  pork,  etc., 
and  many  loads   of  goods  were  carried  away  in  return. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


'297 


The  claim  was  also  set  up,  on  technical  grounds,'^  that 
the  bridge  had  not  been  located  in  exact  conformit}^ 
with  law  —  a  claim  that  the  citizens  of  Cleveland  visfor- 
ously  denied. 

A  new  source  of  irritation  for  the  West  Side  was  opened, 
when  Messrs.  Willey  and  Clark  put  into  operation  a 
scheme  that  would  operate  more  directly  to  the  advantage 
of  Cleveland.  There  was,  down  at  Detroit  street,  a  float 
bridge,  one-half  of  which  belonged  to  Cleveland  and 
one-half  to  her  rival.  A  resolution  was  adopted  by  the 
Cleveland  Council  directing 
the  removal  of  the  eastern, 
or  Cleveland,  half  of  this 
structure.  This  act  was  per- 
formed one  night  while  the 
Ohio  Citizens  lay  dreaming  of 
future  municipal  greatness ; 
and  when  the  morning  mists 
arose  from  over  the  valley  of 
the  Cuyahoga,  they  saw  their 
direct  communication  gone, 
and  realized  that  to  reach  the 
court-house  and  other  points 
of  interest  in  Cleveland,  they 

would  be  compelled  to  travel  southward,  and  make  use  of 
the  hated  Columbus  street  bridge. 

The  situation  became  critical.  The  war  on  the  street 
corners  and  in  the  newspapers  waxed  intense.  The  war- 
cry  "  Two  bridges  or  none!"  became  the  slogan  for  the 
West  Side.  Indignation  meetings  were  held,  at  which 
warlike  speeches  were  made.  A  resolution  was  adopted 
by  the  Council  of  Ohio  City  that  the  new  bridge  was  a 
public  nuisance,  and,  as  such,  must  be  abated. 

The  city  marshal,  backed  by  public  opinion,  swore  in  a 

''^  "  Though  the  dividing  line  between  the  two  cities  was  the  center  of 
the  river,  Cleveland  claimed  to  be  legally  invested  with  the  entire  title  to 
the  bridge.  Ohio  City  claimed  exclusive  jurisdiction  over  the  south  half 
of  it,  and  insisted  on  its  abatement,  because  it  diverted  travel  from  that 
city  to  Cleveland." — Rice's  "  Incidents  of  Pioneer  Life,"  p.  iii. 


MAYOR    WILLI.^M    CASP:. 


2g8  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

number  of  deputies,  and  attempted  to  carry  this  order  into 
effect.  One  night  a  heavy  charge  of  powder  was  put  under 
the  Ohio  City  end  of  the  bridge,  and  exploded.  Some 
damage  was  done,  but  not  as  much  as  had  been  expected. 
The  next  move  was  the  cutting  of  an  immense  ditch  at 
each  end  of  the  bridge,  thus  making  it  useless  for  teams. 

The  citizens  of  the  West  Side  decided  to  take  the  mat- 
ter into  their  own  hands,  and  make  sure  that  the  order  of 
their  municipal  legislature  was  carried  out.  A  day  of  at- 
tack was  set,  and  near  one  thousand  men- — some  of  them 
from  the  surrounding  country — responded  to  the  call,  a 
great  many  of  whom  were  armed.  Rev.  Dr.  Pickans, 
pastor  of  a  Presbyterian  church,  lent  his  presence,  and 
before  the  body  moved  down  upon  the  doomed  structure, 
invoked  divine  aid  for  the  undertaking.  The  line  of 
march  was  then  taken  up,  C.  L.  Russell,  a  well-known  Ohio 
City  lawyer  taking  the  lead. 

An  echo  of  this  din  of  war  had  been  heard  across  the 
river,  and  Cleveland  was  prepared  to  repel  the  attack, 
Down  on  their  side  of  the  stream  stood  an  ancient  cannon, 
heretofore  reserved  for  Independence  Day  celebrations, 
loaded  to  the  muzzle.  A  company  of  militia  stood  in 
line  behind  it,  ready  to  rake  the  bridge  with  both  artil- 
lery and  musketry. 

When  the  army  of  advance  reached  the  ditch  at  the 
south  end  of  the  bridge,  they  were  met  by  the  Mayor  of 
Cleveland,  who  was  prepared  to  advise  peace  and  modera- 
tion. A  volley  of  stones  sent  him  back  among  his  own 
forces.  There  was,  at  each  end  of  the  bridge,  an  "apron" 
that  could  be  lowered  or  raised  at  will ;  that  on  the  Ohio 
City  side  was  let  down,  and  in  its  shelter  the  West  Siders 
went  to  work  beyond  the  reach  of  the  bullets  of  the  troops. 

Axes  and  crowbars  were  plied  lustily.  Planks  were 
ripped  up,  and  thrown  into  the  river.  The  militia  made  a 
charge,  and  a  general  fight  ensued.  Deacon  House,  of 
the  Ohio  City  contingent,  slipped  a  file  into  his  pocket, 
made  his  way  across  the  bridge,  and  spiked  the  cannon  be- 
fore it  could  be  brought  into  use.    In  the  melee,  a  number 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  2gg 


of  the  fighters  were  injured.  Some  would  have  been  killed 
had  not  the  marvshal  of  Cleveland  and  the  sheriff  of  the 
county  appeared  iipon  the  scene,  compelled  a  cessation  of 
hostilities,  and  taken  possession  of  the  disputed  structure 
in  the  name  of  the  law.  A  decree  of  the  court  was  ob- 
tained against  further  interference,  and  at  the  same  time, 
the  marshal  and  a  posse  were  placed  on  guard  to  prevent 
further  depredations.''^ 

The  authoritv  under  which  this  official  acted  was  set 
forth  in  a  resolution  offered  in  the  Cleveland  City  Coun- 
cil on  October  29th,  by  Edward  Baldwin,  and  unanimously 
adopted.  That  measure  declared  that  "during  the  night 
of  the  twenty-seventh  instant  a  portion  of  the  city  bridge 
connecting  this  city  with  the  City  of  Ohio  was  blown  up ; 
and  the  night  of  the  twent3^-eighth,  the  effectual  applica- 
tion of  powder  to  the  southern  abutment  nearly  destroyed 
the  aforesaid  bridge."  The  resolution  further  declared: 
"It  is  satisfactorily  ascertained  that  the  depredations 
aforesaid  were  committed  by  the  inhabitants  of  Ohio  City, 

"^  The  condition  of  the  public  mind,  upon  both  sides  of  the  river,  can  be 
judged  somewhat  from  the  following  personal  experience  of  D.  W.  Cross: 
' '  Nearly  forty-five  years  ago  the  '  Commodore  Perry  '  landed  at  your  busy 
wharf,  a  young  man.  When  conveyed  from  the  boat  to  the  old  Franklin 
House,  the  long  rismg  steps  in  front,  the  platform,  and  the  clerk's  office, 
were  crowded  with  boisterous  and  excited  people.  As  he  elbowed  his  way 
through  the  surging  crowd  toward  the  office  to  register  his  name  as  a 
future  citizen  of  the  only  Ohio,  three  stalwart  men ;  Tom  Colahan,  George 
Kirk  and  Andrew  Lyttle,  seized  a  wiry,  darksome  man,  and  in  a  twinkling 
stood  him  bolt  upright  on  the  clerk's  coimter.*  He  waved  his  hand,  and 
that  boisterous  crowd  was  instantly  reduced  to  silence.  Then  followed 
one  of  the  fiercest  blood-and-thunder  speeches  mortal  man  ever  heard. 
Many  of  the  old  citizens  will  remember  what  the  bold  and  fiery  John  R. 
St.  John  could  do  in  that  line,  on  a  befitting  occasion.  It  was  the  opening 
of  the  Bridge  War,  and  the  occasion  was  great.  '  Fellow  citizens,'  said 
he  in  conclusion,  '  your  generous  townsmen,  Clark  and  Willey,  have  pre- 
sented this  city  with  that  bridge  on  Columbvis  street  which  spans  the  Cuy- 
ahoga. It  has  been  unjustly  attacked  by  the  people  of  Ohio  City  with  the 
avowed  purpose  of  destroying  it.  That  bridge  is  a  public  convenience — 
yes,  a  public  necessity.  It  must  he  protected  '  To  destroy  it  means  war! 
Before  we  will  cowardly  submit  to  this  great  injustice,  we  will  give  them 
war!  War  to  the  knife,  and  the  knife  to  the  hilt!'  " — "  Recollections  of 
Cleveland  and  the  Cleveland  Bar,"  by  D.  W.  Cross. — "Magazine  of 
Western  History,"  Vol.  VI.,  p.  614. 


300  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

during  the  commission  of  Avliich  depredations  women  and 
children  were  compelled  to  flee  their  beds  in  dead  of 
night ;  a  stone  of  the  supposed  weight  of  two  hundred 
pounds  was  forced  into  a  neighbor's  house  of  ten  rods 
distance,  and  the  lives  of  families  and  individuals 
jeopardized."  The  marshal  was  directed,  therefore,  to 
keep  "an  armed  guard  at  said  bridge,  to  protect  the  same 
from  further  injury;"  while  the  street  commissioner  was 
instructed  to  repair  the  damage  done,  and  the  city  attor- 
ney directed  to  take  the  necessary  steps  to  bring  the 
offenders  to  justice,  and  obtain  payment  for  the  damage. 
A  second  resolution  was  adopted  on  November  9th,  di- 
recting the  withdrawal  of  the  guard.  The  civil  courts 
finally  settled  all  differences,  and  each  city  proceeded 
forward  upon  its  own  responsibility  as  before.*^ 

^"  This  war-like  episode  was  something  more  than  a  joke  at  the  time, 
but  was  soon  seized  upon  by  local  wags  and  story-tellers,  and  made  the 
basis  of  a  great  deal  of  amusement.  D.  W.  Cross  composed  an  epic  of 
some  length,  entitled  "  The  Battle  of  the  Bridge  "  ("  Magazine  of  Western 
History,"  \o\.  VII,,  p.  343),  the  opening  lines  of  which  are  here  repro- 
duced: 

On  hills,  like  Rome,  two  cities  might  be  seen, 

(Meand'ring  Cuyahoga  flowed  between); 

Whose  rival  spires  in  rivalry  arose. 

The  pride  of  friends,  the  envy  of  their  foes. 

Each  rival  ruler  of  each  rival  town 

On  his  would  smile,  but  on  the  other  frown. 

Each  sought  for  greatness,  m  his  rival's  fall, 

Regardless  that  the  world  was  made  for  all. 

Envy  and  hatred  waxed  to  frenzied  height ! 

Naught  could  appease  but  fierce  and  bloody  fight. 

The  culmination  came  I     A  peanut  stand 

Erected  by  a  "  combination  "  band 

Of  desperate  men  of  capital,  who  swore 

No  trade  should  be  diverted  from  their  shore. 

They  claimed  that  Clark  and  Willey,  reckless,  sought 

To  build  a  bridge.     The  right  of  way  was  bought 

Already !     And  they  then  designed  to  build 

Columbus  street  and  bridge !     This  rumor  filled 

Their  souls  with  madness,  and  their  eyes  with  tears ! 

To  think  that  peanut  stand,  the  toil  of  years 

Should  for  the  want  of  patronage  decay 

And  trade  and  barter  turn  some  other  way. 

They  all  agreed  this  could  not  be  allowed, 

And  boisterous  bellowings  agitate  the  crowd  I 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  joi 


The  tide  of  apparent  prosperity  that  had  been,  for  sev- 
eral years,  carrying  all  this  section  of  the  country  toward 
supposed  riches  and  a  speedy  development,  was  fictitious 
in  a  high  degree,  and  when  the  day  of  settlement  and 
reckoning  came,  Cleveland  was  compelled  to  bear  its  share 
of  the  burden — and  it  was  one  of  severity  that  had  to  be 
carried  for  years. 

The  whole  west,  and  the  country  at  large,  felt  the 
effect  of  these  same  memorable  "hard  times"  of  1837. 
vSpeculation  had  been  raging  fiercely,  values  were  set  far 
in  excess  of  actual  worth,  cities  were  springing  up  on 
paper  in  all  directions.  State  and  municipal  credits  were 
extended  to  railroad  and  canal  enterprises  far  in  excess 
of  the  needs  of  the  country,  or  its  ability  to  pay.  An  im- 
mense number  of  banks  had  been  chartered,  as  a  result 
of  the  closing  of  the  United  States  bank,  the  greater 
number  of  Avhich  possessed  capital  far  vShort  of  the 
amount  of  currency  put  forth.  Many  of  them,  especially 
in  the  west  and  south,  had  no  capital  at  all.  The  bills 
they  issued  were  accepted  everywhere,  with  hardly  a 
thought  of  the  possibility  of  their  redemption  in  coin. 

Private  credit  could  be  had  everywhere.  An  immense 
amount  of  business — on  a  paper  basis — was  being  done, 
and  everybody  seemed  to  be  getting  rich. 

This  flush  and  speculative  era  had  an  especially  marked 
effect  upon  the  two  cities  at  the  mouth  of  the  Cuyahoga. 
The  location,  and  the  presence  of  the  canal,  marked  Cleve- 
land as  a  point  to  be  especially  moved  by  the  sure  promise 
of  a  brilliant  future,  and  speculation  raged  here  with  great 
vigor.  No  one  seemed  to  see  that  with  few  manufactures, 
and  a  poorly  developed  agricultural  section  to  draw  upon,  a 
great  city  could  not  be  supported,  even  though  faith  and 
solid  capital  should  unite  in  its  creation  ;  while  a  city  built 
upon  speculative  enthusiasm  and  promises  to  pay  could 
have  small  hope  of  permanent  prosperity.  Ventures  of 
the  wildest  character  were  entered  upon;  there  was  a 
haste  upon  the  part  of  all  to  be  rich,  and  the  whole  country 
plunged  ahead,  putting  forth  unlimited  promises  to  pay, 


J02 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


and  taking  little  heed  as  to  the  day  or  means  of  payment. 
The  top-wave   was  touched   in  1836,  and  in  1837  came 
the  wreck. 

Bank  after  bank  went  down  in  the  storm.  Mercan- 
tile houses,  companies,  individuals,  failed  by  the  hun- 
dreds and  thousands.  The  wild  railroad,  canal,  and 
other  schemes  of  public  improvement,  went  to  the  wall. 
Ruin  was  upon  every  hand.      The    ties   were   left   to  rot 

upon  the  half-finished 
railroads ;  the  half- 
dug  canal  filled  up, 
and  lay  a  stagnant 
pool ;  the  ships  stood 
unfinished  upon  the 
stocks ;  paper  cities 
vanished  into  thin  air ; 
fortunes  melted  in  a 
moment ;  municipali- 
ties were  ruined,  and 
vState  credits  im- 
paired ;  money  that 
was  good  for  one  hun- 
dred cents  upon  the 
dollar  yesterday,  be- 
came but  worthless 
rags  to-day.  In  Cleve- 
land, the  great  major- 
ity of  the  business  houses  failed.  Land  values  sank  to  a 
low  figure ;  a  blow  had  been  sent  home  to  the  little  city 
that  was  felt  for  years,  as  we  shall  see,  in  various  ways, 
in  the  records  that  follow. 

There  is  little  of  especial  moment  to  note  in  Cleveland, 
either  in  1837  or  1838.  There  was  practically  no  growth 
from  1836  to  1 840;  those  who  were  here  were  repairing 
their  shattered  fortunes  as  best  they  could,  and  hoping 
for  better  times.  The  records  show  that  only  matters  of 
routine  occupied  the  attention  of  law-makers  and  ex- 
ecutive olficers. 


ST.  Mary's  church  on  "the  flats." 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


303 


It  was  during  these  years  that  the  first  Catholic  church 
of  Cleveland  came  into  existence.  Rev.  John  Dillon,  the 
first  resident  priest,  had  held  service  for  a  time  in  Shake- 
speare Hall,  on  Union  lane,  his  congregation  numbering 
but  five  families.  He  went  to  New  York  and  collected  a 
thousand  dollars  and  more  for  the  erection  of  a  church 
here,  but  death  ended  his  career  before  he  could  carry 
this  purpose  into  execution.  He  was  succeeded  by  Rev. 
P.  O'Dwyer,  who  was  soon  enabled  to  commence  the 
erection  of  the  edifice  known  as  St.  Mary's  on  the  Flats. 
The  church  was  completed,  and  mass  celebrated  for  the 
first  time  toward  the  end  of  1838.  When  Rev.  Amadeus 
Rappe,  first  bishop  of  the  diocese  of  Cleveland,  took  pos- 
session of  his  see  in  1847,  ^^ 
made  St.  Marv's  his  cathedral, 
and  such  it  remained  until  the 
completion  of  the  new  cathe- 
dral, on  Erie  and  Superior 
streets,   in    1852. 

By  1840,  Cleveland  began 
slowly  to  emerge  from  the 
disastrous  effects  of  the  days 
of  inflation  and  subsequent 
ruin,  and  to  turn  a  hopeful 
face  toward  the  future.  The 
census  showed  her  population 
(in  Cleveland  township)  to 
be  about  seven  thousand. ^^  William  A.  Otis,  in  this  year, 
established  his  iron  works,  the  first  of  any  importance  in 
Cleveland,  and  thus  gave  an  impetus  to  local  manufactur- 
ing. The  infant  industry  of  coal  mining  had  developed 
somewhat,  and  Cleveland  began  to  be  something  of  a 
market  for  the  sale  of  that  product.      Of  general  business, 

8'  The  census  of  1840  gives  the  population  of  Cuyahoga  County  as 
25,542,  divided  as  follows:  Cleveland,  7,037;  Mayfield,  852;  Orange,  1,114; 
Solon,  774;  Euclid,  1,774;  Warrensville,  1,085;  Bedford,  2,021;  Newburg, 
1,342;  Independence,  754;  Brecksville,  1,124;  Brooklyn,  i,4og;  Parma, 
965;  Royalton,  1,051;  Rockport,  1,151;  Middleburgh,  339;  Strongsville, 
1,151;  Dover,  q6o;  Olmstead,  659. 


BISHOP    AMADF.US    RAPPE. 


304 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


we  learn  the  foUcnvini;-,  quoted  from  a  newspaper  article 
of  that  year :  ' '  Business  is  slowly  but  gradually  improving 
in  this  section.  We  begin  to  feel  somewhat  the  influence  of 
the  cross-cut  canal  from  Beaver  to  Akron,  by  the  arrival  of 
many  kinds  of  goods  in  the  hardware  line,  that  we  used 
to  be  supplied  with  from  New  York  and  Boston,  but  which 
can  now  be  procured  from  Pittsburgh  at  a  saving  of  more 
than  half  in   time,  and  twenty-five  per  cent,  in  cost." 

Passing  reference  has  been  made,  from  time  to  time, 
to  the  business  men  who  constituted  the  early  mercantile 
force  of  Cleveland,  and  it  seems  a  fitting  place  in  the 
time  of  business  revival,  of  which  we  are  speaking,  to 
give  some  details  of  these  pioneer  merchants.  To 
trace  the  commercial  growth  of  the  city  along  its  most 
natural  lines,  is  to  follow  the  career  of  these  early  mer- 
chants, and  in  so  doing,  that  natural  truth,  the  "survival 
of  the  fittest,"  is  forced  upon  the  attention.  It  took,  not 
only  capital  and  a  commercial  aptitude  to  make  headway 
against  the  draAvbacks  and  difficulties  of  the  early  days, 

but  courage,  strength  of 
mind  and  body,  and  a  quiet 
patience  that  could  wait  for 


its  reward.  There  were 
many  men  in  whom  such 
qualities  could  be  found. 
There  was  John  Blair,  whose 
early  venture  here  has  been 
already  described.  Philo 
Scovill,  who  afterwards 
made  a  fortune  in  other 
lines,  came  to  Cleveland 
as  a  merchant,  bringing 
with  him  a  stock  of  drugs  and  groceries.  This  line  of 
trade  did  not  suit  him,  and  he  soon  worked  out  of  it. 
Melancthon  Barnett,  father  of  General  James  Barnett, 
came  to  Cleveland  in  1825,  as  a  clerk  for  Mr.  May,  and 
soon  found  himself  a  partner  in  the  firm  of  May  &  Bar- 
nett.     In  1843,  they  wound  up  their  affairs  as  merchants. 


MAViiR    AH-NKK 


IIROW.NKLI., 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLKVELAXD.  joj 

and  took  a  hand  in  the  wonderful  land  speeulations  of 
those  days.  The  leather  and  dry-goods  store  of  Joel 
Scranton,  on  the  corner  of  Superior  and  Water  streets, 
was  for  a  long  time  one  of  the  old  landmarks.  Orlando 
Cutter  was  for  years  one  of  the  hard-workinsf  merchants 
of  Cleveland.  Peter  M.  Weddell,  who  had  already 
shown  great  aptitude  for  business,  came  to  Cleveland  in 
1820.  and  established  himself  here,  taking  a  stand  at  once 
among  the  leading  business  men  of  the  place.  In  1825, 
he  formed  a  partnership  with  Edmund  Clade,  from  Buf- 
falo, and  retired  from  an  active  participation  in  trade. 
Three  years  later  this  connection  was  dissolved,  and  in 
183  I,  he  formed  a  new  one  with  G.  C.  Woods  and  Dudley 
Baldwin,  under  the  firm  name  of  P.  ]\I.  Weddell  &  Co. 
Four  years  later,  Mr.  Woods  left  the  city,  and  Messrs. 
Weddell  and  Baldwin  continued  together  until  1845.  Mr. 
BaldAvin  had  been  a  clerk  for  Mr.  Weddell  before  the 
partnership  was  formed,  and  after  its  dissolution  he  gave 
some  time  to  the  closing  up  of  the  firm's  affairs,  and  then 
went  into  other  lines  of  activity.  Norman  C.  Baldwin's 
first  mercantile  venture  in  Cleveland  was  as  a  member  of 
the  firm  of  ]Merwin  &  Baldwin,  his  partner  being  Noble 
H.  ]\Ierwin,  and  their  line  produce.  It  was  succeeded,  in 
1830,  by  Giddings,  Baldwin  &  Co.,  which  became  one  of 
the  most  important  forwarding  and  commission  houses 
on  the  lake.  Richard  Winslow  was  a  stronof  addition 
to  the  mercantile  strength  of  Cleveland,  when  he  de- 
cided on  making  this  point  his  home,  in  1830.  He  not 
only  brought  energy,  but  capital  as  well,  and  immediately 
opened  a  large  grocery  store  on  vSuperior  street,  opposite 
Union  lane.  He  soon  invested  in  the  lake  vessel  busi- 
ness, and  the  boats  he  set  afloat  were  seen  on  all  the  great 
lakes.  S.  H.  Sheldon,  in  after  years  better  known  as  a 
lumber  man,  opened  his  business  life  in  this  neighborhood 
by  keeping  a  drug  store  on  Detroit  street,  in  what  was 
then  Ohio  City.  He  sold  out  in  1842,  but  was  afterward 
for  a  short  time  in  the  grocery  line.  Alexander  Sackett, 
who  had  received  a  fine  mercantile  training  in  New  York 


3o6  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

City,  in  1835,  opened  a  wholesale  and  retail  dry-goods 
store  in  Mr.  Weddell's  block  on  Superior  street.  He  re- 
mained in  that  line  until  1854,  when  he  went  into  com- 
mercial business  on  the  river.  Charles  Bradburn  com- 
menced his  long  and  honorable  career  in  Cleveland  in 
1836,  when  he  opened  a  wholesale  and  retail  grocerv  store 
on  Superior  street,  next  to  the  old  city  buildings.  The 
next  year  he  enlarged  his  establishment,  and  in  1840, 
moved  to  his  new  warehouse  at  the  foot  of  St.  Clair 
street,  abandoning  the  retail  branch.  In  1854,  he  again 
moved,  to  numbers  58  and  60  River  street,  where  he  re- 
mained for  a  number  of  years.  He  was  one  of  the 
most  useful  citizens  Cleveland  ever  possessed,  and  a  fore- 
most spirit  in  all  educational  matters.  About  1835, 
Samuel  Raymond  and  Henry  W.  and  Marvin  Clark 
opened  a  dry-goods  store  on  the  corner  of  .Superior  street 
and  the  Public  Square,  where  the  Rouse  Block  now  stands. 
They  occupied  a  little  wooden  building,  and  the  location 
was  about  as  far  east  as  business  then  dare  venture. 
Richard  T.  Lyon  arrived  here  in  1823,  and  in  1838  be- 
came a  clerk  in  the  forwarding  house  of  Griffith,  Standart 
&  Co.,  continuing  there  until  1841,  when  he  formed  a 
partnership  with  J.  L.  Hewitt,  and  carried  on  a  forward- 
ing and  commission  business  on  River  street,  under  the 
firm  name  of  Hewitt  &  Lyon.  Thomas  A.  Walton  was 
one  of  the  well-known  commission  merchants,  opening  a 
business  on  the  river.  George  Worthington's  hardware 
store  was  opened  in  Cleveland  in  1834,  on  the  corner  of 
Superior  street  and  Union  lane ;  three  years  later  it  was 
removed  to  the  corner  of  Water  and  Superior  streets,  on 
the  site  of  the  National  Bank  Building  of  to-day,  and  there 
it  remained  for  nearly  thirty  years.  N.  E.  Crittenden  came 
here,  in  1826,  and  opened  the  first  jewelry  store  Cleveland 
possessed.  E.  P.  Morgan's  first  venture  was  made  here 
in  1 841.  Robert  Hanna's  wholesale  grocery  and  forward- 
ing establishment  was  opened  here,  in  1852.  In  1845,  S- 
F.  Lester  became  a  member  of  the  old  and  well-known  firm 
of  Hubby,  Hughes  &  Co.,  and  when  that  partnership  was 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  joy 

dissolved  in  1858,  it  was  succeeded  by  the  firm  of  Hughes 
&  Lester,  which  continued  until  1862.  The  connection 
of  Hiram  Garretson  with  the  business  circles  of  Cleve- 
land commenced  in  1852.  A.  G.  Colwell  came  in  the 
same  year;  William  Edwards  in  the  same  year;  E.  I. 
Baldwin  in  1853,  and  Grove  N.  Abbey  in  1858. 

The  chief  topic  of  general  interest  in  Cleveland,  during 
1840,  was  of  a  political  nature,  the  little  city,  like  its  neigh- 
bors everywhere,  entering  with  enthusiasm  into  the  famous 
"  Log-Cabin  "  and  "  Hard-Cider  "  presidential  campaign 
of  that  year.  General  Harrison  was  warmly  supported 
upon  the  Reserve,  which  was  a  Whig  stronghold,  and  his 
followers  entered  into  the  fight  with  an  enthusiasm  that 
showed  itself  in  many  ways,  and  when  the  election  re- 
sulted in  his  favor,  no  city  received  the  news  with  greater 
joy  than  Cleveland. 

When  the  campaign  was  well  under  way,  it  was  decided 
that  a  typical  "cabin"  should  be  erected  upon  each  side 
of  the  river.  ' '  The  one  on  the  west  side,  then  Ohio  City, ' ' 
writes  one^'^  who  has  made  of  these  mid-century  days  an 
interested  study,  "was  built  first,  and  on  the  i8th  of  March 
was  dedicated.  The  evening  of  the  dedication  the  Whigs 
of  the  east  side  met  at  the  American  House,  and  headed  by 
the  Cleveland  Grays,  marched  across  to  the  cabin,  which 
was  built  on  the  corner  of  Detroit  and  Pearl  streets.  It  was 
constructed  entirely  of  logs,  and  had  an  oak  roof .  Within, 
on  the  walls,  hung  strips  of  dried  pumpkin  and  strings  of 
dried  peppers ;  a  rifle  rested  on  hooks,  while  a  pouch  and 
powder  horn  hung  near  by.  A  split  broom  stood  in  one 
corner,  and  in  another  was  seen  a  barrel  of  cider.  At  the 
meeting,  about  five  hundred  people  were  present.  A  num- 
ber of  speeches  were  made  by  local  orators,  after  which  a 
glee  club  sang  a  campaign  song,  one  verse  of  which  was: 

"  Old  Tip's  the  boy  to  swing  the  flail, 
Hurrah,  hurrah,  hurrah ! 
And  make  the  Locos  all  turn  pale, 
Hurrah,  hurrah,  hurrah!" 

^'-  O.  J.  Hodge,  who  has  kindly  prepared  it  for  this  purpose  on  request 
of  the  author. 


3o8  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

"The  bee  for  raising  the  log-eabin  on  the  east  side  of 
the  river- — Cleveland — took  place  on  ^March  30th,  and  the 
work  was  commenced  at  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning. 
The  day  was  rainy,  but  a  barrel  of  hard  cider  which  had 
been  contributed  for  the  occasion  kept  up  the  spirits  of 
the  men,  and  the  work  went  on  with  a  will.  The  cabin 
was  erected  on  a  vacant  lot  on  Superior  street,  just  east  of 
the  American  House,  about  where  the  '  Leader'  building 
now  stands.  The  towns  around  Cleveland  each  con- 
tributed a  quantity  of  logs  for  the  building.  Newburg 
brought  in  a  tree  very  straight,  and  one  hundred  and  five 
feet  long.  A  pole  fastened  to  it  had  a  flag  at  the  top,  on 
which  was  inscribed:  *  Libertv.'  On  one  of  the  losfs 
brought  in  might  have  been  seen  this  inscription : 

•■  With  Tip  and  Tyler 
We'll  bust-'Van's  bilerl" 

"  On  another  was  a  keg  marked  '  Hard  Cider.'  The 
cabin  was  35  by  50  feet  in  dimensions,  and,  it  was 
claimed,  would  hold  seven  hundred  people.  On  each 
side  of  the  entrance  was  a  flagstaff.  Opposite  the  door, 
on  the  inside,  was  a  large  stump,  upon  which  the  speak- 
ers addressing  the  meeting  were  expected  to  stand.  A 
small  black  bear  had  been  secured,  and  fastened  with  a 
chain  to  a  large  cross-beam  overhead.  There  was  a  rough 
drawing,  representing  an  eagle  holding  in  his  talons  a 
writhing  fox^ — supposed  to  be  Van  Buren.  Tin  cups, 
spades,  shovels,  and  the  inevitable  barrel  of  hard  cider 
were  in  the  cabin. 

■"  The  dedication  occurred  on  April  3d,  and  the  crowd 
present  was  very  large,  and  the  enthusiasm  great. 
There  were  a  number  of  speeches,  and  several  campaign 
songs  enlivened  the  occasion.  The  following  is  a  verse 
•of  the  song  sung  at  the  close : 

"  Come,  Buckeye  farmers,  one  and  all, 

Hurrah,  hurrah,  hurrah ! 
Come  Hoosiers  and  Corncrackers  tall, 

Hurrah,  hurrah,  hurrah ! 
Come  Wolverines  and  Suckers  too, 
And  fight  for  him  who  fought  for  you ! 

Hurrah,  hurrah,  hurrah!" 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


309 


General  Harrison  paid  a  visit  to  Cleveland,  on  June 
13th  of  this  campaign  year,  1840.  He  came  by  way  of 
the  lake,  on  the  steamer  "  Sandusky,"  and  was  escorted 
by  the  Grays  to  the  American  House,  where  he  received  the 
citizens,  and  inade  an  extended  speech  from  the  hotel  bal- 
cony. He  left  the  city  by  canal  packet,  for  xVkron,  ac- 
companied by  a  number  of  friends.  Two  years  later,  the 
city  also  was  honored  by  a  visit  from  General  Harrison's 
opponent  in  this  historic  campaign,  Ex-President  ]\Iartin 
Van  Buren,  who  reached  here  on  Julv  12th,  1842.  and 
was  received  with  many  marks  of  honor.  He  likewise 
addressed  the  people  from  that  famous  old  balcony  of 
the  American  House. 


THE    AMERICAN    HOLSE. 


In  the  days  we  now  have  under  consideration,  there 
occurred  an  incident  of  direct  local  interest,  and  one 
that  illustrated  somewhat  the  attitude  of  the  people  of 
northern  Ohio,  at  that  period,  toward  the  important  ques- 
tion of  slavery. 

As  Cleveland  was  the  principal  port  upon  the  lake 
shore  in  Ohio,  and  offered  unusual  facilities  for  the  trans- 
portation of  runaway  slaves  from  Kentucky  and  Virginia 
across  to  Canada,  it  became  a  natural  resort  for  many  who 
were  fleeing  from  their  masters.  Under  the  laws  of  the 
country,  and  somewhat  in  obedience  to  public  opinion, 
the  escaping  slaves  when   arrested   here  would  be  turned 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


over  to  those  who  claimed  them,  with  hardly  a  question, 
and  returned  to  bondage. 

In  1 84 1,  this  careless  and  heartless  indifference  to  the 
rights  of  such  as  might  be  unjustly  apprehended,  received 
a  severe  shock  that  changed  the  order  of  things.  Three 
slaves,  who  were  supposed  to  have  escaped  from  New 
Orleans,  were  found  in  Buffalo,  kidnaped  by  those  who 
claimed  them,  brought  to  Cleveland,  and  placed  in  jail, 
where  they  were  held  under  the  laws  of  the  United 
States.  An  application  to  see  them  was  made  by  John 
A.  Foot  and  Edward  Wade,  two  of  Cleveland's  leading 
Abolitionists,  which  was  refused.  An  application  of  the 
same  tenor  was  made  by  Thomas  Bolton,  who  was  not  an 
Abolitionist,  and  was  immediately  granted.  Mr.  Bolton 
held  an  interview  with  the  negroes,  and  decided  that  he 
would  defend  them.  He  did  so,  in  the  face  of  violent 
public  opinion  and  even  threats,  and  with  great  ability 
and  courage,  showed  up  the  infamous  course  of  kidnaping 
that  had  been  pursued,  and  as  a  result  procured  the  pris- 
oners their  discharge.  The  kidnapers,  thereafter,  made 
Cleveland  the  scene  of  their  operations  less  frequently 
than  before. 

A  Masonic  organization  was  among  the  new  ventures  of 
1 84 1.  The  charter  of  Cleveland  City  Lodge,  No.  15,  F. 
and  A.  M.,  was  granted  on  September  21st  of  that  year. 
Its  first  meeting  was  held  on  the  28th  of  the  same  month, 
when  the  following  officers  were  elected :  Clifford  Bel- 
den,  W.  J/.;  Andrew  White,  .S".  W.;  Willard  Crawford, 
J.  W.;  Edmund  Clark,  treasurer;  Erastus  Smith,  secre- 
tary. Among  those  who  held  the  office  of  Worshipful 
Master  in  the  early  days  of  the  lodge  may  be  mentioned 
Timothy  Ingraham,  W.  T.  Goodwin,  H.  H.  Dodge,  A. 
D.  Bigelow,  S.  E.  Adams,  E.  R.  Benton,  Peter  Caul,  etc. 
The  other  Masonic  organizations  that  came  into  being  at 
a  little  later  date,  may  be  briefly  mentioned:  Iris  Lodge, 
No.  229,  was  organized  on  October  22nd,  1852.  The  finst 
ofhcers  were  A.  D.  Bigelow,  W.  M.;  W.  H.  Beaumont, 
5.  W.;  Robert   Reiley,  /.  W.     Bigelow  Lodge,    No.   243, 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  311 

was  organized  on  October  20tli,  1853,  but  was  not  grant- 
ed a  charter  until  October  17th,  1854.  The  first  officers 
were:  Gaston  G.  Allen,  W.M.;  Samuel  W.  Odell,  5. 
W.  ;  Alonzo  Eldridge,  /.  ]V.  ;  C.  C.  Stevens,  5.  D.  ; 
Stephen  Bulirer,  J.D.;  H.  L.  Whitman,  treasurer;  A. 
H.  Dubrey,  secretary;  L.  W.  Woolenneber,  tyler.  Among 
the  oro;anizations  of  Odd  Fellows  in  Cleveland,  in  the 
earlier  days,  were  Cleveland  Lodge,  organized  in  1842; 
Erie  Lodge,  in  1844;  Phoenix  Lodge,  1854;  Cataract 
Lodge,  1855. 

One  of  the  chief  events  in  Cleveland  in  1842,  was  the 
first  real  attempt  at  paving.  This  was  on  Superior  street, 
between  the  Public  Square  and  the  river,  and  also  on 
River  street.  The  plan  pursued  was  somewhat  primitive 
in  character;  the  "  paving"  consisted  of  the  laying  down 
of  heavy  planking  crosswise  of  the  street.  These  planks 
were  of  use  when  new  and  while  held  firmly  in  place, 
but  when  worn  out  or  loosened,  the  condition  of  those 
who  travelled  over  them  was  not  one  to  envy.  Down  on 
River  street,  the  floods  would  sometimes  rise,  and  float 
the  paving  off  into  the  Cuyahoga. 

The  year  1843  saw  the  beginning,  in  Cleveland,  of  an 
institution  that  has  had  a  long  and  useful  career,  and  is 
still  counted  one  of  the  great  educational  features  of  the 
middle  west.  This  was  the  Cleveland  Medical  College. 
Its  origin  is  exceedingly  interesting,  as  illustrating 
through  what  minor  causes  even  great  institutions  some- 
times come  into  existence.  The  township  of  Chagrin  (now 
Willoughby),  some  twenty  miles  east  of  Cleveland,  was 
one  of  the  first  towns,  on  the  Western  Reserve,  to  possess 
a  circulatino-  librarv.  The  books  were  well  selected,  and 
out  of  the  studv  and  literary  interest  they  aroused,  there 
grew  a  flourishing  lyceum  and  debating  society.  Lect- 
ures on  historical  and  scientific  questions  were  given, 
and  the  current  questions  of  the  day  discussed.  Out 
of  this,  a  somewhat  ambitious  project,  "  The  Willoughby 
University  of  Lake  Erie,"  was  born.  Dr.  George  W. 
Card,  Judge   N.  Allen,  J.    Lapham,    Samuel  Wilson,  and 


jr2 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


others,  were  among  its  founders.  It  possessed  a  regular 
faculty,  a  board  of  trustees,  president,  secretary  and 
treasurer.  The  medical  faculty  was  constituted  as  fol- 
lows: H.  A.  Ackley,  M.D.,  j^rofessor  of  anatomy; 
Amasa  Trowbridge,  professor  of  surgery;  Daniel  L.  M. 
Piexotto,  M.D.,  professor  of  theory  and  practice  of 
medicine;  J.  Lang  Cassells,  M.D.,  professor  of  chemistry; 
William  M.  Smith,  M.D.,  professor  of  Materia  Mcdica 
and  botany.  Some  of  these  instructors  were  known 
favorably  already,  and  have  left  since  a  deep  impress 
upon  the  medical  history  of  the  west. 

In  1835-6,  this  University  possessed  twenty-three  stu- 
dents; five  were  graduated  with  the  title  of  M.D.,  in 
the  year  last  named.  A  three-story  brick  building  was 
erected  for  the  use  of  the  institution.  It  was  the  hope  of 
the  founders  to  build  up  a  great  medical  college  in  Wil- 

loughby,  but  after  a  year  or 
so  of  struggle  it  was  seen 
necessary  to  move  it  to  a 
larger  place,  and  Cleveland 
was  naturally  the  choice  of 
the  majority. 

It  was  in  the  fall  of  1843 
that  this  decision  was  made. 
Drs.  John  Delamater,  Jared 
P.  Kirtland,  John  L.  Cassells, 
and  Noah  Worcester,  who 
were  then  members  of  the 
faculty,  favored  Cleveland, 
while  Dr.  Starling's  choice 
"was  Columbus,  and  as  he  owned  a  controlling  interest,  he 
■carried  the  day,  went  to  the  city  named,  and  founded  the 
Starling  Medical  College.  The  other  physicians  went 
to  Cleveland,  and  as  they  did  not  wish  to  wait  for 
a  charter,  the  only  legal  process  of  incorporation,  they 
applied  to  the  Western  Reserve  College  (afterwards 
Western  Reserve  University),  at  Hudson,  for  organiza- 
tion as  the   medical   department  thereof.      The  privilege 


1)K.     JAKKD    r.     KIKTLANI). 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


313 


was  granted,  and  in  that  way  the  Cleveland  Medical  College 
came  into  being  as  a  department  of  the  older  organization. 

A  building  was  erected  on  the  corner  of  St.  Clair  and 
Erie  streets. ^'^  The  first  faculty  consisted  of  John  Dela- 
mater,  Jared  P.  Kirtland,  Horace  A.  Ackley,  J.  L.  Cas- 
sells,  Noah  Worcester,  Samuel  St.  John,  and  Jacob  J. 
Delamater,  all  physicians.  The  institution  started  im- 
mediately upon  its  long,  honorable,  and  prosperous  career. 

Two  of  the  older 
church  societies  of 
Cleveland  were  also 
organized  in  1843. 
The  United  Pres- 
byterian Church 
began  with  eleven 
members,  on  No- 
vember 5th,  in  the 
Hancock  Block,  on 
the  corner  of  Su- 
perior and  Seneca 
streets.  The  first 
ruling  elders  chos- 
en were  I.  Camp- 
bell, J.  Dodds,  and 
D.  Pollock.  In  two 
or  three  years  a 
church  building  was 
erected,  on  the 
southwest  corner  of 
Michigan  and  Sen- 
eca   streets"     while  '^"^ie  present  second  preskytkrian  church. 

in  1 8  5  3 ,  a  larger  and 

more  commodious  house  of  worship  was  erected  on  Erie 

street,  near  Huron  street. 

8^  This  building,  which  had  become  one  of  the  best  known  of  the  land- 
marks of  early  Cleveland,  has  given  place  to  a  handsome,  modern  struc- 
ture erected  by  the  generosity  of  John  L.  Woods,  one  of  Cleveland's  most 
successful  lumber  merchants.  Its  cost  was  near  $175,000.  The  dedica- 
tion services  occurred  on  March  8th,  1887. 


3^4 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


The  Euclid  Avenue  Congregational  Church  was  organ- 
ized on   November  30th,  1843,  by   Rev.    Dr.  S.  C.  Aiken 
and   Rev.    S.    C.  Cady,    with   a  membership  of  nineteen. 
The  name  first  chosen  was  that  of  ' '  The  First  Presbyterian 
Church  of  East    Cleveland,"  but    changed  to    Congrega- 
tional, in  1852,  because  of  the  attitude  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church   toward   slavery.       The   first   services  Avere    held 
in  a  building,  known  as  the  "old  stone  schoolhouse,"  be- 
tween Republic  and  Doan  streets,   near   Euclid   avenue. 
Various  other  places  of  gathering  were  used  until    1 849, 
w^hen  a  new  building   on   the   corner   of    Euclid  avenue 
and    Doan   street    was   dedicated,    and  in    that    the    soci- 
ety found  a  permanent  home. 
On  June  12th,  1844,  the  Sec- 
ond   Presbyterian   Church    of 
Cleveland  was  organized.    The 
membership     roll     contained 
fifty-eight   names,    fifty-three 
of  which  were  of  former  mem- 
bers of  the  First  Presbyterian 
Church.       The  first  meetings 
'-1^-=-       were    held    in    a  building  on 
Rockwell    street,    which    was 
used  until  a  church  edifice  was 
erected  on  Superior  street,  east 
of  the  Public  Square,  and  the 
basement  first  occupied  in  1 8  5  i . 
The  first  pastor  of  the  church 
was  Rev.  Sherman  B.  Canfield, 
who  officiated  from  1 844  to  1 854,  and  the  first  officers  were  as 
follows:  Elders,  David  Long,  Henry  Sexton,  Jeremiah  Holt, 
Eli  P.  Morgan,  Jeisse  F.  Taintor  and  Samuel  H.  Mather; 
Deaco7ts,  William  A.  Otis,  T.  P.  Handy,  and  S.  H.  Fox. 
In  1876,  the  church  building  was  consumed  by  fire ;  and  an 
elegant  new  structure,  on  the  corner  of   Prospect  street 
and  Sterling  avenue,  was  completed  and  dedicated  in  1 878. 
Indeed,  this  period  seems  to  have  been  quite  prolific 
in  the  way   of    churches  and  church-building.      Trinity 


ST.  Paul's  episcopal  church,   1856. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  313 

Chiircli  had  grown  to  such  proportions  that  relief  of  some 
character  was  demanded,  and  on  July  9th,  1845,  the  parish 
of  Grace  Church  was  organized  as  an  answer  to  this  de- 
mand. A  lot  was  purchased  at  the  corner  of  Erie  and 
Huron  streets,  on  which  a  substantial  brick  structure  was 
erected.  The  first  rector  was  Rev.  Alexander  Varian, 
who  officiated  from  1846  to  1849.  St.  Paul's  Episcopal 
Church  also  was  organized  on  October  26th,  1846,  with  a 
membership  of  forty-five. 

The  development  of  these  days,  however,  was  not  al- 
together upon  the  religious  side  of  the  life  of  Cleveland, 
Literary  and  material  things  were  receiving  their  due 
share  of  attention.  The  Young  Men's  Literary  Associa- 
tion was  one  of  the  events  of  1845.  The  germ  of  this 
idea  had  been  one  of  rather  slow  growth.  As  far  back  as 
1 8 1 1  some  seventeen  Clevelanders  had  associated  them- 
selves together  for  the  establishment  of  a  library,  but  the 
war  of  1 8 12  and  the  subsequent  hard  times  intervened, 
and  nothing  was  accomplished.  In  1824,  the  Cleveland 
Forum,  devoted  principally  to  public  debates,  came  into 
being,  but  after  a  few  years  of  uncertain  life  it  went  into 
the  limbo  of  discarded  things.  In  1833,  a  lyceum  was 
formed  with  something  of  the  same  purpose,  and  in  1835 
a  reading-room  was  established  through  the  generous  con- 
tributions of  citizens.  In  1836,  the  Young  Men's  Literary 
Association  was  organized,  which  also  set  out  to  form  a 
library,  but  it  was  dissolved  in  1843. 

The  organization  that  was  formed  in  1845  under  the 
same  name  achieved  a  more  permanent  success.  In  1848, 
it  was  incorporated  under  the  name  of  the  Cleveland  Li- 
brary Association,  with  two  hundred  shares  of  stock  at 
ten  dollars  each.  A  course  of  lectures  was  maintained 
for  a  number  of  years,  but  the  main  purpose  in  view  was 
the  accumiilation  of  a  library.  A  small  room  on  Superior 
street  was  occupied  for  several  years,  then  one  in  the 
"  Herald"  building;  subsequently  one  at  No.  221  Superior 
street,  in  1856;  and  finally,  in  1862,  the  Case  Building. 
Here  it  received  a  perpetual  lease  of  the  rooms  from  the 


J/6 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


heirs  of  William  Case,  who  had  been  a  devoted  friend  of 
the  Association.  In  1870,  the  charter  was  so  changed  that 
the  control  was  placed  in  the  hands  of  five  directors, 
elected  for  life.  The  first  board  consisted  of  Samuel  Will- 
iamson, James  Barnett,  H.  M.  Chapin,  William  Bingham, 
and  B.  A.  vStanard.  The  revenues  were  greatly  enlarged  by 
the  gift  of  twenty-five  thousand  dollars  from  Leonard  Case 
[Sr.],who,  in  1876,  followed  this  by  the  munificent  donation 
of  Case  Block,  which  lifted  the  Association  not  only  beyond 
any  question  of  want,  but  placed  the  Case  Library  among 
the  great  libraries  and  literary  institutions  of  the  west. 

Several   enterprises,   of   a  direct   material   benefit,  also 
were  noted  as  evidences  of  the  returning  prosperity  that 

L 


iiiiiiiiimiziiioiiiBm 

.IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIOI 


THE    WEDDELL    HOUSE. 


set  in  about  1845-6.  The  erection  of  the  Weddell  House, 
on  the  corner  of  Superior  and  Bank  streets,  was  one  of 
these.  It  immediately  took  rank  as  one  of  the  leading 
hotels  of  the  west.  On  February  6th,  1846,  the  Cleve- 
land Gas  Light  &  Coke  Company  was  organized,  which 
indicated  that  the  city  had  begun  to  figure  upon  metropol- 
itan ways  in  real  earnest.  Nothing  was  done  under  this 
authority,  however,  until  1848,  when  the  control  of  mat- 
ters passed  into  the  hands  of  Moses  G.  Younglove, 
through  whose  efforts  works  were  constructed,  the  laying 
of  pipes  commenced,  and  the  citizens  permitted  to  enjoy 
the  luxury  of  gas. 


CHAPTER    XII I. 

THE     RAILROAD     ERA. 

The  history  of  the  railroad  lines  that  first  connected 
Cleveland  with  the  outside  world  is  one  of  struggle  and 
labor;  of  disappointment,  loss,  and  final  triumph;  of  pa- 
tient endeavor  on  the  part  of  patriotic  citizens;  and  of 
a  faith  that  held  its  own  until  the  day  of  results  that  was 
a  justification  of  all  that  had  gone  before.  This  city  owes 
a  debt  of  gratitude,  that  can  never  be  repaid,  to  the  little 
band  through  whose  energy  and  capital  her  first  railroads, 
and  therefore  her  subsequent  prosperity,  were  made  pos- 
sible. 

The  modest  local  line,  that  for  a  time  connected  New- 
burg  and  Cleveland,  has  been  described.  Other  lines  of 
siinilar  character  were  proposed  from  time  to  time,  but 
they  came  to  nothing. 

The  first  of  any  moment  that  proposed  to  make  Cleve- 
land (me  of  its  stopping  places,  of  which  we  can  find  rec- 
ord, was  an  ambitious  project  suggested  by  DeWitt  Clin- 
ton (not  the  governor),  in  1829.  He  published  a  plan  of  a 
line  to  be  called  the  Great  Western  Railway,  that  was  to 
find  its  starting  place  in  New  York  City,  thence  to  the 
Tioga  and  following  that,  intersecting  the  head  waters 
of  the  Genesee  and  Allegheny  rivers,  thence  to  Lake 
Erie,  following  its  southern  shore  line,  crossing  the  Cuy- 
ahoga, Sandusky,  Maumee  and  Wabash  rivers,  and  on  to 
where  Rock  River  enters  the  MissiSvSippi.  The  route  cov- 
ered a  distance  of  1,050  miles,  and  the  estimated  cost  was 
fifteen  million  dollars.  It  is  perhaps  needless  to  say  that 
it  was  never  built. 

The  next  project  that  interested  the  people  of  Cleve- 
land and  of  Ohio — to  their  serious  cost — came  some  seven 
years  later.     The  Ohio  Railroad  Company  came  forward 


j/<?  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


with  a  plan  that  was  to  secure  all  the  benefits  of  the  rail- 
road at  a  cost  far  below  that  of  lines  already  built  or  in 
course  of  construction.  This  was  to  be  accomplished  by 
placing-  the  tracks  on  a  double  row  of  piles,  or  posts,  upon 
which  planks  were  to  be  placed  edgewise,  and  bolted 
together. 

The  Ohio  Railroad  Company  was  organized  at  the 
Mansion  House,  Painesville,  on  April  25th,  1836.  Its  in- 
corporators were :  R.  Harper,  Eliphalet  Atistin,  Thomas 
Richmond,  G.  W.  Card,  Heman  Ely,  John  W.  Allen,  John 
G.  Camp,  P.  M.  Weddell,  Edwin  Byington,  James  Post, 
Eliphalet  Redington,  Charles  C.  Paine,  Storm  Rosa,  Rice 
Harper,  Henry  Phelps,  and  H.  J.  Reese. 

In  considering  the  expansive  charter  under  which  the 
company  was  to  work,  we  must  remember  that  it  was  ob- 
tained at  a  time  when  state  legislatures  were  disposed  to 
grant  anything  to  corporations  that  promised  to  create 
great  wealth  out  of  nothing,  and  when  the  country  was 
in  the  wildest  state  of  speculation  of  that  great  specula- 
tive decade.  It  was  obtained  through  the  eiforts  of  Nehe- 
miah  Allen,  of  Willoughby,  who  then  represented  his 
county  in  the  Legislature,  and  who  became  president  of 
the  company. 

The  company  was  allowed  not  only  wide  latitude  in  all 
matters  relating  to  legitimate  railroad  building,  but  was 
given  also  banking  privileges,  including  the  issuing  of 
money,  as  the  holders  of  some  three  or  four  htmdred 
thousand  dollars'  worth  of  their  bills  eventually  discov- 
ered to  their  cost.  In  addition  to  this,  it  received  the 
benefit  of  a  remarkable  act  passed  by  the  Ohio  Legisla- 
ture on  March  24th,  1837.'^^  It  was  a  measure,  possible 
only  to  days  of  reckless  speculation  and  an  irresponsible 
administration  of  public  affairs.  It  provided  that  the 
State  should  loan  its  credit  in  six  per  cent,  stock  to  the 
amoimt  of  one-third  of  the  authorized  capital  if  the  other 

^^  This  measure  was  described  by  itself  as  "An  Act  to  authorize  a  Loan 
of  Credit  by  the  State  of  Ohio  to  Raih-oad  Companies, — also  to  Turnpike, 
Canal  and  Slackwater  Navigation  Companies."  It  was  generally  de- 
scribed as  "  The  Plunder  Law,"  after  its  character  was  understood. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  jrg 

two-thirds  had  been  paid  in  "to  the  companies  organized 
to  build  railroads,"  etc.,  which  made  the  State  a  partner, 
to  the  extent  of  one-third,  in  all  the  reckless  schemes  that 
might  be  set  afloat.  The  State  issued  its  bonds  to  the 
amount  named,  and  received  company  stock  to  the  same 
amount  in  return. 

The  great  advantage  given  a  corporation  by  this  meas- 
ure can  be  seen  at  a  glance.  The  law  was  repealed  on 
March  17th,  1840,  when  a  great  loss  had  been  put  upon 
the  State,  and  at  a  time  when  many  new  coinpanies  were 
being  formed  for  added  schemes  of  public  plunder. ^^ 

The  plan  of  the  Ohio  Railroad  Company  Avas  to  run  a 
line  from  the  western  edge  of  Pennsylvania  to  a  point  on 
the  Maumee  River,  near  the  present  city  of  Toledo. 
Two  great  cities  were  to  be  created  as  a  part  of  the 
scheme.  One  was  Richmond,  on  the  Grand  River,  be- 
tween Fairport,  on  Lake  Erie,  and  Painesville,  four  miles 
to  the  south,  and  the  other  was  Manhattan,  on  the  Mau- 
mee River,  three  or  four  miles  north  of  Toledo. 

A  glowing  prospectus  was  issued,  capital  enlisted,  and 
plans  prepared.  The  first  pile  was  driven  in  Fremont 
on  June  19th,  1839.  The  details  of  actual  construction, 
and  the  methods  employed  in  this  unique  specimen  of 
railroad  building  were  as  follows:  A  roadway,  100  feet  in 
width,  was  prepared;  112  piles  and  1,056  ties  were  used 
in  each  mile;  the  piles  running  from  7  to  28  feet  in 
length,  according  to  the  grade,  and  from  12  to  16  inches  in 
diameter ;  the  ties  were  9  feet  long,  and  8  inches  in  diam- 
eter. "  The  piles  were  driven  by  a  machine,  consisting 
of  two  sills,  30  or  40  feet  long,  placed  parallel  with  each 
other,  at  a  distance  of  7  feet,  that  being  the  width  of  the 
track.  At  the  forward  end  of  these  sills  were  erected 
four  timbers,  termed  '  leaders,'  30  feet  high,  between 
which,  on  each  side,  the  iron  hammers,  weighing  one- 
half  a  ton  each,  were  raised  and  let  fall  upon  the  pile.     A 

*^  The  grand  total  of  Ohio's  investments  under  this  law  was  as  follows: 
Railroads,  $751,915;  turnpikes,  $1,853,365;  canals,  $600,000.  Total, 
$3,205,280.     The  returns  were  very  much  less. 


S20  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

circular  saw,  attached  to  a  shaft  projecting  between  the 
leaders,  cut  the  pile  to  the  proper  grade,  when  the  driver 
was  moved  and  the  operation  repeated.  These  machines 
employed  eight  men  and  drove  about  forty  piles  per  day, 
covering  some  twenty  rods  in  distance.  Upon  the  head 
of  each  pair  of  piles  was  fitted  a  tie,  8x8  inches,  in  which 
a  gain  was  cut  nine  inches  wide  and  four  deep,  the  tie 
being  pinned  down  through  this  gain  with  a  two-inch 
cedar  pin;  but  before  this  was  done,  half  a  pint  of  salt 
was  deposited  in  the  auger  hole  of  each  pile,  which, 
permeating  the  wood,  was  expected  materiallv  to  preserve 
the  same  from  decay.  A  locomotive  saw-mill  upon  the 
track,  and  behind  the  pile  driver,  attended  by  three  men, 
prepared  the  rails  at  the  rate  of  900  lineal  feet  per  dav. 
These  rails  or  stringers  were  8x8,  and  15  feet  in  length. 
On  the  wood  Stringers  thus  provided  were  to  be  placed 
iron  ('strap')  rails,  of  the  weight  of  twentv-five  tons  to 
the  mile.  Behind  all,  upon  the  prepared  track,  was  a 
boarding  house  for  the  work  hands,  which  moved  with 
the  rest  of  the  establishment."  ^^'^ 

The  main  portion  of  the  work  was  done  between  Fre- 
mont and  Manhattan,  with  some  sections  to  the  eastward, 
near  the  Cuyahoga  River.  Some  of  these  piles  were  still 
in  evidence  fiftv  and  more  vears  later.  Misfortune  over- 
took  the  enterprise  at  an  early  day,  as  was  inevitable  in 
the  very  nature  of  things.  The  panic  of  1837,  the  repeal 
of  "The  Plunder  Law,"  quarrels  among  those  who  favored 
Manhattan  and  those  who  favored  Richmond,  and  the  in- 
herent weakness  of  the  whole  scheme,  worked  together 
and  brought  on  a  total  collapse.  This  came  in  1843. 
How  total  it  was,  can  be  learned  from  the  report  made 
by  the  Auditor  of  vState  in  December  of  the  same  year. 
Said  he:  "  The  original  subscriptions  to  the  stock  of 
the  company  were  $1,991,766.  Of  this  sum,  only  $13,980 
had  been  paid  in  cash;  $8,000  or  $10,000  in  labor  and 
material ;  and  $533,776  in  lands  and  town  lots.      These  have 

S3«  -The  Ohio  RaUroad:  That  Famous  Structure  built  on  Stilts,"  by  C. 
P.  Leland.     Western  Reserve  Historical  Society's  Tract  No.  Si. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


321 


been  reported  as  a  basis  for  the  credit  of  the  State ;  also, 
there  has  been  added  $293,660  in  donations  of  lands  for 
right-of-way,  all  of  which  of  course  are  conditioned  to 
revert  upon  failure  to  complete  the  work.  The  lands  re- 
ceived in  payment  of  subscriptions  were  all  taken  at  the 
most  extravagant  rates."  He  further  showed  that  the 
amount  received  by  the  company,  from  the  State,  was 
$249,000,  for  which  it  had  in  return  "some  sixty-three 
miles  of  wooden  superstructure  laid  on  piles,  a  consider- 
able portion  of  which  is  already  rotten,  and  the  remainder 
going  rapidly  to  decay. "  In  1 845 ,  the  Legislature  passed  a 
law  authorizing  the  board  of  public  works  to  sell  the 
whole     concern.       But    little,    if  anything,    was   realized. 

There  were  other  projects 
put  forward,  in  the  same 
year  which  saw  the  incor- 
poration of  the  Ohio  Rail- 
road Company,  that  came  to 
little  or  nothing  in  the  forms 
in  which  they  were  then  pro- 
posed. These  were:  The 
Cleveland,  Warren  &  Pitts- 
burg Railroad  Company,  ^^ 
leading  from  Cleveland  to 
the  State  line,  or  some  other 
point  on  the  Ohio  River  in 
the   direction  of   Pittsburg ; 

the  Cleveland,  Columbus  &  Cincinnati  Railroad  Company, 
leading  from  Cleveland  to  Cincinnati  by  way  of  Colum- 
bus ;  and  the  Cleveland  &  Erie  Railroad  Company,  from 
Cleveland  to  Ravenna. 

The  panic  of  1837  blocked  these  measures  for  a  time. 

**•*  The  "  Cleveland  Herald  "  of  January  26th,  1836,  states,  with  no  small 
pride,  that  the  engineers  of  the  Cleveland,  Warren  &  Pittsburg  Railroad  had 
reached  Cleveland  on  the  previous  day,  and  adds,  that  "everything  con- 
nected with  this  improvement  seems  to  progress  with  an  activity  and  spirit 
which  promises  the  most  favorable  results."  Stock  was  readily  subscribed 
to  a  large  amount,  and  at  a  meeting  held  on  May  12th  the  organization  of  a 
board  of  directors  was  effected,  with  Mayor  John  W.  Willey  as  president. 


MAVOR    WILLIAM     11.     CASl  LE. 


322  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

The  subsequent  history  of  each  is  practically  the  story  of 
the  railroads  of  Cleveland,  and  each  may  be  taken  up  in 
the  order  of  relative  importance. 

The  charter  of  the  Cleveland,  Columbus  &  Cincinnati 
Railroad  was  granted  on  March  14th,  1836.  It  lay  dormant 
until  1845,  when  it  was  revived,  revised,  and  amended  by 
an  act  of  March  12th,  so  as  to  permit  it  to  build  as  far  as 
Columbus,  but  not  compelling  it  to  go  any  further  than  that 
point.  It  also  was  permitted  to  "unite  with  any  other, 
then,  or  thereafter,  constructed  under  authority  of  the  gen- 
eral assembly,  leading  from  any  point  at,  or  near.  Lake  Erie 
to,  or  toAvards,  the  southern  part  of  the  State."  ^''     A  new 

\  company  was  organized,  with    John    W.    Allen,    Richard 

'  Hilliard,   John  M.  Woolsey,  and   Henry  B.  Payne,  as  the 

Cleveland   directors,    and   John   W.    Allen,    as    president. 

.  The  City  of  Cleveland,  in  encouragement  of  the  enter- 
prise, voted  to  loan  its  credit  to  the  extent  of  two  hun- 
dred thousand  dollars. 

There  were  man}-  difficulties  in  the  way,  but  one  by 
one  they  were  surmounted.  Capitalists  abroad  were  un- 
willing to  lend  their  aid.  A  canvass  of  the  city  resulted 
'in  securing  a  subscription  of  but  twenty-five  thousand 
dollars.  Mr.  Woolsey  was  sent  to  Cincinnati  to  negotiate 
the  bonds  subscribed  by  the  city,  and  to  Philadelphia  and 
New  York  to  enlist  the  aid  of  the  capitalists  of  those 
cities.  The  latter  part  of  his  mission  was  a  failure.  In 
the  spring  of  1847,  it  looked  as  though  the  whole  thing 
would  have  to  be  given  up  in  despair,  but  help  came 
through  the  willing  effort  of  two  influential  and  sagacious 
men.      Richard   Hilliard  and    Henry  B.  Payne   agreed  to 

^'  "In  the  spring  of  1S46  there  were  three  or  four  rival  projects  for  a  road 
to  Columbus  from  the  Lake,  but  none  of  them  were  unfriendly  to  Cleve- 
land. We  called  a  meetmg  of  all  the  commissioners  at  Mansfield,  and  at 
our  request  the}-  all  agreed  to  give  us  six  months  to  enable  us  to  carry- 
out  our  project,  and,  if  we  were  successful,  they  would  rest  quietly  as  to 
theirs."  Mr.  Allen  relates  at  some  length  the  steps  then  taken,  and 
adds:  "  Out  of  these  devices  grew  this  road  of  great  and  immediate 
importance  to  Cleveland." — "Our  First  Attempt  at  Railroad  Building," 
by  John  W. -Allen ;  —  "Annals  of  the  Early  Settlers'  Association,"  No. 
5,  p.  96. 


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CO 


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p 

a. 


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72 

-4 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  323 

devote  three  months  of  earnest  personal  effort  to  one  final 
attempt,  and  so  well  did  they  apply  themselves  that  ad- 
ditional subscriptions  to  the  amount  of  forty  thousand 
dollars  were  obtained,  and  the  skies  began  to  clear. 

Alfred  Kelley,  then  of  Columbus,  accepted  the  position 
of  president,  and  thus  a  new  source  of  influence  and 
strength  was  added.  Another  fortunate  move  was  made 
when  the  managers  prevailed  upon  Frederick  Harbach, 
Amasa  Stone  and  vStillman  Witt,  to  undertake  the  con- 
struction of  the  line ;  and  they  agreed  to  take  the  principal 
portion  of  their  pay  in  stock. 

An  episode  which  illustrates  the  difficulties  they  had  in 
keeping  the  charter  alive,  and  the  low  ebb  to  which  the 
enterprise  was  at  one  time  reduced,  is  related  by  George 
F.  ^Marshall,'"^*^  one  of  the  actors  therein,  as  follows:  "  In 
order  to  save  the  charter,  it  was  thought  best  to  make  a 
show  of  work  on  the  line  alreadv  surveved.  One  briirht 
autumn  forenoon  about  a  dozen  men  got  themselves  to- 
gether near  the  ground  now  occupied  by  the  A.  &  G.  W. 
Railway  depot,  with  the  noble  purpose  of  inaugurating  the 
work  of  building  the  Cleveland,  Columbus  &  Cincinnati 
Railroad.  Among  the  number  was  Alfred  Kelley,  the  pres- 
ident, T.  P.  Handy,  the  treasurer,  J.  H.  Sargent,  the  engi- 
neer, James  A.  Briggs,  the  attorney,  and  H.  B.  Payne, Oliver 
Perry,  John  A.  Foot  and  others,  besides  your  humble 
servant.  On  that  memorable  spot  one  could  look  upc^n 
those  vast  fields  of  bottom  land,  and  nothing  could  be 
seen  but  unbroken  wide  meadows ;  the  brick  residence  of 
Joel  Scranton  on  the  north,  and  the  ruins  of  an  old  mill  in 
the  ravine  of  Walworth  Run  on  the  south,  were  the  only 
show  of  buildings  in  all  that  region  roundabout.  These 
gentlemen  had  assembled  to  inaugurate  the  work  on  the 
railway,  yet  there  was  a  sadness  about  them  that  could  be 
felt ;  there  was  something  that  told  them  that  it  would  be 
difficult  to  make  much  of  a  railroad  without  money  and 
labor.     Yet  they  came   on   purpose  to   make   a  show  of  a 

**  "  A  Sketch  of  Early  Times  m  Cleveland,"  by  George  F.  Marshall.— 
"Annals  of  the  Early  Settlers'  Association,"  No.  i,  p.  102. 


324  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

beginning.  Alfred  took  a  shovel  and  with  his  foot  pressed 
it  well  into  the  soft  and  willing  earth,  placing  a  good 
chunk  in  the  tranquil  wheelbarrow  close  at  hand,  repeat- 
ing the  operation  until  a  load  was  attained,  and  dumping 
it  a  rod  or  so  to  the  south.  We  all  shouted  a  good  sized 
shout  that  the  road  was  really  inaugurated.  Then  ]\Ir. 
Handy  did  a  little  of  the  same  work  as  well  as  Sargent 
and  Briggs,  while  I  sat  on  the  nearest  log  rejoicing  to  see 
the  work  going  so  lively  and  in  such  able  hands.  The 
fact  was  demonstrated  that  the  earth  was  willing,  if  man 
would  only  keep  the  shovel,  the  pick  and  wheelbarrow 
moving  lively  according  to  this  beginning.  All  that  fall 
and  winter  one  man  was  kept  at  work  on  the  great  enter- 
prise simply  to  hold  the  charter,  with  a  hope  that  some- 
thing would  turn  up  to  enable  the  directors  to  push  things 
with  a  greater  show  for  ultimate  success.  During  the 
winter  that  followed,  any  one  passing  up  Pittsburg 
street  near  the  bluff  could  see  day  by  day  the  progress 
this  one-man  power  was  making  in  his  work.  Foot  by 
foot  each  day  the  brown  earth  could  be  seen  gaining  on 
the  Avhite  snow  on  the  line  towards  Columbus,  and  hope 
remained  lively  in  the  breast  of  everyone  that  saw  the 
progress,  that  if  the  physical  powers  of  that  solitary 
laborer  held  out  long  enough,  he  would  some  day  be  able 
to  go  to  State's  prison  by  rail." 

Success  so  crowned  the  efforts  of  the  earnest  men  who 
had  this  great  project  in  hand,  that  on  February  21st, 
1 85  I,  the  first  through  train  was  run  from  Columbus  to 
Cleveland,^'-*  bearing  the  members  of  the  general  assembly, 
State  officers,  and  many  prominent  citizens  from  the  capi- 
tal, and   from   along  the   line.     It   was  a  day  of  great  re- 

**^  "  The  road  was  so  far  finished  that  trains  were  run  over  its  entire 
length,  from  Columbus  to  Cleveland,  on  the  21st  of  February  last,  but  the 
road  could  not  be  considered  as  fully  open  for  regular  business  operations 
before  the  ist  of  April.  Since  that  time  a  large  and  profitable  business  has 
been  done — larger,  and  more  profitable,  it  is  believed,  in  proportion  to  the 
amount  of  capital  invested,  than  has  been  done  on  any  other  road  in  the 
United  States  for  the  first  eight  months  after  its  being  opened  for  use." — 
Extract  from  the  report  of  President  Alfred  Kelley  for  1S51. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


325 


joicing  in  the  city,  which  now  for  the  first  time  found 
itself  in  actual  steam  connection  with  the  outside  world. 
Ample  preparations  were  made  to  make  the  event  of  a 
character  to  reflect  credit  upon  Cleveland.  A  special 
meeting  of  the  City  Council  was  held  on  Februarv'  13th, 
at  which  a  formal  in\-itation  was  extended  to  the  governor 
of  the  State,  the  members  of  the  Legislature,  the  heads  of 
the  various  State  departments,  and  the  mayors  and  city 
ofl&cials  of  Columbus  and  Cincinnati,  to  visit  Cleveland 
on  Washington's  birthday,  and  participate  in  the  formal 
opening  of  the  railway.  A  committee  of  arrangements 
and  reception  was  appointed,  consisting  of  Messrs.  Gill, 
Mcintosh,  and  Stedman.  The 
in\T.tation  was  cordially  ac- 
cepted, and  the  occasion  was 
one  of  great  rejoicing.  The 
' '  Herald's* '  extended  report  of 
the  celebration  savs:  "  On 
Saturday,  as  we  saw  Buckeyes 
from  the  banks  of  the  Ohio 
and  the  rich  valleys  of  the 
Miami  and  the  Scioto  minoflingr 


their  congratulations  with 
those  of  the  Yankee  Reserve, 
upon  the  completion  of  an  im- 
provement, which  ser^'ed  to 
bring  them  into  business  and  social  connection,  and  to 
break  down  the  barriers  which  distance,  prejudice,  and 
ignorance  of  each  other  had  built  up,  we  felt  that  the 
completion  of  the  Cleveland,  Columbus  &  Cincinnati  Rail- 
road would  be  instrumental  in  accomplishing  a  good  work 
for  Ohio,  the  value  of  which  no  figures  could  compute. 
•  •  On  the  morning  of  the  twenty-first,  the  members 
of  the  Legislature,  the  State  officers,  the  councils  of  Cin- 
cinnati and  Columbus,  and  citizens  of  Columbus  and  Cin- 
cinnati, in  all  four  hundred  and  twenty-eight  persons,  left 
the  capital  on  the  C.  C.  &  C.  Railroad  cars,  for  a  visit  to 


MAYOR    GEORGE    B.   SEXTER. 


Cleveland,  as  guests. 


On  their  arrival,  they  were  greeted 


*• 


j2b  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

by  discharges  of  artillery,  and  the  welcome  of  thousands 
of  our  citizens." 

A  grand  procession  was  formed,  and  the  guests  were 
escorted  to  the  Public  Square,  where  an  address  of  wel- 
come was  delivered  by  Mayor  William  Case.  Hon.  C.  C. 
Converse,  president  of  the  State  Senate,  responded. 
vSamucl  Starkweather  then  delivered  the  oration  of  the 
day,  and  speeches  were  made  by  Alfred  Kelley,  Henry  B. 
Payne,  Mr.  Pugh,  of  Cincinnati,  Governor  Reuben  Wood, 
and  Cyrus  Prentiss,  president  of  the  Cleveland  &  Pitts- 
burg Railroad  Company.  The  visitors  were  then  taken 
to  Hudson,  over  the  last  named  line.'^"  On  the  return  to 
Cleveland  a  banquet  was  served  at  the  Weddell  House. 
A  torch-light  procession  paraded,  the  city  firemen  taking 
a  leading  part.  On  the  Sabbath,  Dr.  Aiken  preached  a 
powerful  sermon  on  railroads  in  the  Stone  Church,  and  on 
Monday  the  visitors  departed  for  home,  leaving  Cleveland 
to  settle  down  to  the  realities  of  every-day  life. 

By  act  of  the  Ohio  Legislature,  on  March  14th,  1836,  the 
same  day  on  which  that  of  the  above  described  road  was 
passed,  a  charter  was  granted  to  the  Cleveland,  Warren  & 
Pittsburg  Railroad  Company,  permitting  it  to  construct  a 
line  from  Cleveland  to  the  eastern  border  of  Ohio,  and 
there  to  connect  with  anv  road  built  under  the  laws  of 
Pennsylvania.  As  all  railroad  experience  was  limited  in 
those  days,  in  matters  of  legislation  as  well  as  actual  opera- 

^"  The  details  of  this  expedition  are  graphically  set  forth  by-  R.  F. 
Smith,  general  manager  of  the  Cleveland  &  Pittsburg  Railway  Company, 
in  a  communication  to  the  Board  of  Trade,  in  1S71 :  "  The  general  assem- 
bly, with  the  governor  and  various  other  officers  of  the  State,  having  passed 
over  the  line  of  the  Cleveland,  Columbus  &  Cincinnati,  from  Cincinnati  to 
Cleveland,  celebrating  its  opening  to  the  public,  were,  on  the  twenty-second 
of  February,  1S51,  invited  to  visit  the  thriving  village  of  Hudson,  before 
their  return  to  the  substantial  realities  of  life  at  the  capital.  This  trip  was 
accomplished  by  the  honorable  gentlemen,  not,  however,  without  experi- 
encing upon  the  rough  and  unballasted  track  of  the  incipient  highway,  the 
vicissitudes  incidental  to  railroad  life.  Owing  to  some  misunderstanding, 
the  supply  of  edibles  at  Hudson  was  far  too  meagre,  and  the  train  getting 
off  the  track  upon  the  return  trip,  the  excursionists  were  detained  to  a  late 
hour  of  the  night,  but  eventually  their  honors  were  landed  again  in  the 
city  upon  the  lake  shore,  a  hungrier  if  not  a  wiser  and  happier  set  of  men." 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  327 

tion,  the  charter  was  broad  in  its  scope  and  loose  in  its 
provisions.  It  allowed  the  president  and  directors  to  issue 
and  sell  stock  to  any  limit  that  their  desires  or  necessities 
might  direct,  gave  them  permission  to  select  any  route 
they  might  choose,  to  condemn  land,  and  to  propel  their 
cars  by  any  motive  power  they,  might  prefer.  The  same 
evil  days  that  befell  the  connection  between  the  Forest  City 
and  Cincinnati,  disturbed  and  delayed  the  venture  toward 
the  southeast,  and  the  same  revival  of  confidence  that  set 
the  one  afloat  had  a  similar  effect  tipon  the  other. 

An  act  of  revival  and  amendment  was  passed  on  IMarch 
nth,  1845,  and  the  route  was  changed  from  "the  most 
direct  in  the  direction  of  Pittsburg,"  to  "the  most  di- 
rect, practicable,  and'  least  expensive  route  to  the  Ohio 
River,  at  the  most  suitable  point."  The  company  was  or- 
ganized at  Ravenna,  in  October,  1845.  James  Stewart,  of 
Wellsville,  was  elected  president,  A.  G.  Cattell,  secretary, 
and  Cyrus  Prentiss,  treasurer.  Preliminary  arrangements 
were  made  as  speedily  as  possible,  and  the  usual  amount 
of  labor  and  responsibility  placed  upon  the  shoulders  of 
the  willing  few.  The  history  is  similar  to  that  of  its 
neighbor,  and  its  final  triumph  and  usefulness  formed  a 
parallel  thereto.  In  July,  1847,  the  first  contracts  were  let 
from  Wellsville  northward,  and  the  actual  work  com- 
menced. The  Cleveland  end  of  the  line  dragged,  some- 
what, through  lack  of  money,  and  it  was  not  until  1849 
that  the  last  of  the  work  was  let.  By  legislation  had  in 
February  of  that  year,  the  City  of  Cleveland  was  author- 
ized to  subscribe  to  the  capital  stock  of  the  company.  In 
February,  1851,  the  long  trial  began  to  have  an  ending, 
and  the  line  was  opened  from  Cleveland  to  Hudson,  in 
March  to   Ravenna,  and  in   November  to  Hanover.''^     In 

9' "  In  >Iarch  (1S51),  the  track  was  constructed  to  Ravenna,  and  in  No- 
vember to  Hanover,  a  distance  of  seventy-five  miles  from  Cleveland.  In 
the  exuberance  of  their  joy  the  stockholders  at  their  meeting  resolved 
'  that  the  directors  be  requested  to  give  a  free  ticket  to  each  stockholder 
and  his  lady  to  ride  over  the  road  from  Cleveland  to  Hanover,  and  return 
at  any  time  within  thirty  days,  and  that  landholders,  through  whose  land 
the  road  passes,  shall  be  entitled  to  a  free  ticket  for  themselves  and  wives 


J28  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

1852,  the  connection  through  to  Pittsburg  was  arranged 
for.  On  April  i8th,  1853,  the  Legislature  of  Pennsylvania 
passed  a  law  incorporating  the  Cleveland  &  Pittsburg  Rail- 
road Company,  and  giving  full  assent  to  all  the  provisions 
of  the  Ohio  charter.  In  October,  1871,  the  Cleveland  & 
Pittsburg  Railroad  Company  passed  into  the  control  of 
the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company,  where  it  has  since 
remained. 

Another  venture  of  the  same  busy  period  of  railroad 
building  was  the  Cleveland  &  Mahoning  Valley  Railroad 
Company,  which,  eventually,  had  much  to  do  with  the 
manufacturing  and  commercial  development  of  this  city. 
This  line  was  projected  for  the  primal  purpose  of  opening 
and  developing  the  coal  and  mineral  regions  of  the  Mahon- 
ing valley,  and  also  to  furnish  a  connection  between  Cleve- 
land and  Pittsburg.  It  was  chartered  on  February  22nd, 
1848,  incorporated  in  1851,  and  the  first  meeting  of  stock- 
holders held  at  Warren,  in  June,  1852.  Local  subscrip- 
tions to  the  amount  of  $300,000  were  reported,  and  esti- 
mates and  surveys  ordered  prepared.  The  prime  mover 
and  most  earnest  friend  of  the  scheme,  was  Jacob  Perkins, 
of  Warren,  who  risked  his  fortune,  gave  his  strength,  and 
finally  sacrificed  his  life  in  its  behalf. '•'"' 

The  directors,  in  the  day  of  beginning,  were  Jacob  Per- 
kins, Frederick  Kinsman,  Charles  Smith,  David  Tod, 
Dudley  Baldwin,  Robert  Cunningham  and  James  Magee 
— the  first  three  residents  of  Warren,  and  the  rest  of 
Youngstown,  Cleveland,  New  Castle  and  Philadelphia,  in 
the  order  named.  It  was  a  long  and  uphill  struggle 
before    the    day  of   success  was  reached.     Cleveland  was 

from  twenty  days  of  the  opening  of  the  road,  and  that  the  same  privilege 
be  extended  over  the  other  portions  of  the  road  when  completed. ' ' —  From 
the  statement  made  by  R.  F.  Smith,  general  manager  of  the  Cleveland 
&  Pittsburg  Railroad. 

^^  "  He  died  in  Havana,  Cuba,  on  January  12th,  1859,  and  the  half- 
grave,  half -playful,  but  altogether  pathetic  remark  made  to  a  friend  previ- 
ous to  his  death,  '  If  I  die  you  may  inscribe  on  my  tombstone,  '  Died  of 
the  Mahoning  Valley  Railroad, '  '  was  more  of  a  sombre  fact  than  a  light 
jest  or  passing  fancy." — ^"  Alagazine  of  Western  History,"  Vol.  II., 
p.  618. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  S2g 

selected  as  the  headquarters,  and  a  purchase  of  land  made 
that  gave  the  road  a  foothold  here.  There  was  much  sur- 
veying of  proposed  routes,  and  hesitation  among  those 
proposed,  but  finally  the  present  one,  through  Mantua, 
Warren,  and  Youngstown,  was  chosen.  Attempts  were 
made  to  induce  the  Pennsylvania  Legislature  to  allow  an 
extension  of  the  line  into  that  State,  but  the  influence  of 
rival  lines  prevented. 

There  was  a  fair  promise  of  success  up  to  1854,  when 
the  annual  report  of  the  directors  took  on  a  tone  of  de- 
spondency that  boded  ill  for  the  future.  The  condition  of 
the  money  market  had  altered  for  the  worse,  and  capital 
became  very  cautious ;  at  this  time,  Jacob  Perkins  and 
his  associates  stepped  in,  and  by  pledge  of  their  personal 
fortunes,  secured  the  continuation  of  the  work.  In  1857, 
the  road  was  coinpleted  as  far  as  Youngstown,  and  a  point 
thus  reached  where  returns  began  to  come  in  from  the 
growing  coal  and  iron  regions.  In  October,  1863,  it  was 
leased  to  the  Atlantic  &  Great  Western  Railroad  Company, 
and  later,  with  that  organization,  passed  into  the  control 
of  the  Erie  system. 

A  detailed  history  of  all  the  charters,  acts,  amendments, 
incorporations,  and,  above  all,  financial  struggles,  that  went 
to  build  the  half-score  of  minor  roads  finally  merged  into 
the  Lake  Shore  &  Michigan  Southern  Railway  Company, 
would  make  a  voluine  in  itself,  so  only  a  bare  outline  is 
possible  here.  Trunk  lines,  with  a  through  business  to 
depend  upon  and  a  local  traffic  as  incidental,  did  not  enter 
into  the  calculations  of  the  railroad  projectors  in  the  early 
days.  Two  or  more  cities  having  come  to  the  conclusion 
that  there  was  business  and  travel  enough  within  their  in- 
fluence, and  along  the  section  of  country  to  be  traversed,  to 
warrant  a  railroad,  it  was  set  on  foot  and  the  matter  of  ex- 
tensions in  any  direction  was  left,  generally,  to  be  decided 
as  an  afterthought.  After  a  time,  a  number  of  these  dis- 
jointed sections  would  be  joined  by  the  absent  links,  and  the 
great  trunk  line  brought  into  being.  The  road  under 
consideration  is  a  marked  example  of    this  character. 


SSO 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


The  links  in  this  great  chain  may  be  briefly  noted.  The 
Erie  &  Kalamazoo  Railroad  was  chartered  in  April,  1833, 
bv  the  Territory  of  Michigan,  with  authority  to  construct 
a  road  from  Toledo,  Ohio,  to  a  point  on  the  Kalamazoo 
River ;  it  built  from  Toledo  to  Adrian ;  and  leased  in  per- 
petuity to  the  ]\Iichigan  Southern  Railroad,  chartered  in 
1846.  In  1835,  the  Buffalo  &  Mississippi  Railroad  was  char- 
tered by  the  State  of  Indiana,  to  construct  a  road  from  the 
eastern  to  the  western  boundary  line  of  that  State.  In  1837, 
its  title  was  changed  to  the  Northern  Indiana  Railroad 
Company.  Eventually,  under  various  acts,  a  line  was  con- 
structed from  the  eastern  to  the  western  line  of  the  State  and 
from  Elkhart  to  the  northern  State  line,  where  connection 
was  made  with  the  above-named  Michigan  Southern  road. 
Meanwhile,  the  links  of  the  future  great  line  were  being 
welded  at  points  further  east.  In  March,  1851,  Ohio  per- 
mitted the  incorporation  of 
the  Northern  Indiana  Railroad 
Company  of  Ohio,  with  author- 
ity to  run  a  line  from  Toledo 
to  the  State  line  of  Indiana; 
also  one  from  Toledo  north- 
ward to  Monroe.  Under  this 
charter,  a  road  was  built  be- 
tween the  points  named,  con- 
necting with  the  Northern  In- 
diana  Railroad  of  Indiana,  and 
running  from  Toledo  to  the 
northern  line  of  the  State, 
forming  a  portion  of  the  De- 
line.  As  was  foreshadowed, 
in  the  similarity  of  names,  the  Northern  Indiana  Com- 
panies of  Ohio  and  Indiana,  on  July  8th,  1853,  con- 
solidated into  one  organization,  under  the  name  of  the 
Northern  Indiana  Railroad  Company.  In  November, 
1850,  the  Northern  Indiana  &  Chicago  Railroad  Company 
filed  articles  of  association,  with  the  Secretary  of  State  of 
Illinois,  for  the  construction  of  a  road  southeasterly  to  the 


MAYOR    EinVARU    S.     FLINT. 


troit,    Monroe    &    Toledo 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  331 

State  line,  to  intersect  the  road  of  the  western  division  of 
the  Buffalo  &  Mississippi  Company.  The  road  was  im- 
mediately built  between  these  points,  a  distance  of  thir- 
teen miles. 

Manifest  destiny  and  the  present  demands  of  the  situa- 
tion worked  together  for  consolidation.  On  February  7th, 
1855,  a  compact  was  entered  into  by  which  tlie  Northern 
Railroad  Company  of  Ohio  and  Indiana,  the  Buffalo  & 
Mississippi  Railroad  (Western  division)  of  Indiana,  and  the 
Northern  Indiana  &  Chicago  Railroad  Company  of  Illinois, 
were  merged  into  one,  which  was  called  the  Northern 
Indiana  Railroad  Company,  and  which  gave  a  through  line 
from  Toledo  to  Chicago.  Two  months  later  a  still  more 
important  step  was  taken,  by  which  the  above  line  was 
again  consolidated,  this  time  with  the  Michigan  Southern 
Railroad  Company,  under  the  growing  name  of  the 
Michigan  Southern  &  Northern  Indiana  Railroad  Company. 
In  the  year  following,  this  new  corporation  obtained  a 
lease  of  the  Detroit,  Monroe  &  Toledo  Railroad,  then  tin- 
finished,  and  this  finally  connected  the  points  named  in  its 
title. 

Attention  must  now  be  turned  to  the  movements  going 
on  still  farther  east.  On  April  12th,  1842,  the  Erie  & 
Northeast  Railroad  Company  of  Pennsvlvania  was  incor- 
porated, to  build  a  road  from  Erie  to  some  point  on  the 
east  boundary  line  of  the  township  of  Northeast,  in  Erie 
County.  Twenty  miles  of  road  was  the  practical  result. 
In  October  of  1849,  ^^^^  Buffalo  &  State  Line  Railroad 
Company  was  organized  in  western  New  York,  for  the 
building  of  a  road  from  Buffalo  to  the  western  vState  line, 
there  to  connect  with  a  like  road  leading  through  to  Cleve- 
land, Ohio.  On  March  9th,  1867,  an  act  was  passed  by 
the  New  York  Legislature  permitting  this  company  to  join 
forces  with  the  Erie  &  Northeast  Company,  and  the  result 
was  the  Buffalo  &  Erie  Railroad  Company.  Meanwhile, 
on  March  2nd,  1846,  the  Ohio  Legislature  passed  an  act 
incorporating  the  Junction  Railroad  Company,  with  au- 
thority to  construct  a  road  from  soine  point  to  be  selected 


332  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


on  the  Cleveland,  Columbus  &  Cincinnati  line,  within 
thirty  miles  of  Cleveland,  thence,  by  way  of  Elyria,  to 
intersect  the  Mad  River  &  Lake  Erie  road  at  Belle vue, 
or  some  other  point,  and  thence  on  to  Fremont;  also, 
for  a  branch  thereof  from  Elyria,  via  vSandusky,  to  Fre- 
mont. It  was  this  line,  as  mentioned  above,  that  finally 
made  use  of  the  right  of  \vay  belonging  to  the  old  Ohio 
road,  or  the  "road  on  stilts,"  as  it  was  often  described. 
In  March,  1850,  the  Toledo,  Norwalk  &  Cleveland  Rail- 
road Company  was  incorporated,  for  the  building  of  a  line 
from  Toledo,  by  way  of  Norwalk,  to  connect  with  the 
Cleveland,  Columbus  &  Cincinnati  Railroad  at,  or  near, 
Wellington,  and  subsequent  power  was  given  it  to  continue 
the  line  on  to  Cleveland,  either  by  an  agreement  with  the 
last-named  road,  or  independent  of  it.  In  October,  1852, 
the  Port  Clinton  Railroad  Company  sprang  into  existence, 
with  a  mission  to  build  a  line  from  Sandusky,  via  Port 
Clinton,  to  Toledo.  Finally,  on  July  15th,  1853,  there  was 
a  grand  consolidation  of  these  small  and  irregular  inter- 
ests, and  the  result  was  that  the  Junction  Railroad  Com- 
pany, the  Port  Clinton  Railroad  Company,  and  the  Toledo, 
Norwalk  &  Cleveland  Railroad  Company,  all  disappeared 
from  sight,  to  emerge  as  one  in  the  Cleveland  &  Toledo 
Railroad  Company.  At  that  time  not  any  of  them  had 
completed  their  lines,  but  the  work  was  done  subsequently 
by  the  consolidated  company. 

In  1848,  a  line  was  projected  that  now  forms  an 
important  part  of  the  Lake  Shore  &  Michigan  South- 
ern system,  which  seems  to  have  been  a  more  distinctively 
Cleveland  enterprise  than  any  of  the  sinall  lines  de- 
scribed in  the  foregoing.  It  was  the  incorporation,  in 
February  of  that  year,  of  the  Cleveland,  Painesville 
&  Ashtabula  Railroad  Company,  with  authority  to 
construct  a  line  from  Cleveland,  via  Painesville  and 
Ashtabula,  to  the  Pennsylvania  State  line,  and  there 
to  connect  with  any  railroad  running  eastward.  The 
company  was  organized  with  a  directory  consisting  of  Al- 
fred Kelley,  Samuel   L.  Sheldon,  Heman    B.  Ely,  George 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  333 

E.  Gillett,  David  R.  Paige,  L.  Lake  and  Peleg  P.  vSanford. 
Heman  B.  Ely  was  elected  president,  Abel  Kimball,  treas- 
urer, and  Frederick  Harbach,  engineer.  A  survey  was 
made  tinder  the  direction  of  the  last  named.  The  diffi- 
culties in  the  way  were  inany,  but  the  company  finally 
secured  the  needed  money,  and  made  a  contract  with 
Frederick  Harbach,  Amasa  Stone  and  Stillman  Witt,  on 
the  26th  of  July,  1850.  for  the  construction  of  the  road 
from  Cleveland  to  the  Pennsylvania  State  line.  For  the 
first  six  months,  the  work  progressed  slowly,  the  chief 
fear  of  the  time  being  that  steam-cars  could  never  com- 
pete for  business  with  the  great  boats  then  running  from 
Cleveland  to  Buffalo.  But  the  backers  kept  at  it  with  per- 
sistent-energy, and  finally,  late  in  1852,  a  locomotive  was 
enabled  to  travel  its  entire  length.  On  May  5th,  1854,  the 
Pennsylvania  Legislature  gave  ■  the  company  permission 
to  construct  an  extension  of  its  line  along  the  Franklin 
Canal  Railroad,  an  enterprise  that  had  passed  into  the  con- 
trol of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania,  to  Erie.  The  purchase 
of  the  Franklin  property  was  made,  and  thus  a  road  was 
completed  between  Cleveland  and  Erie,  with  connections 
through  to  the  east.  Steps  leading  up  to  the  grand  final 
consolidation  began  to  be  taken.  On  October  8th,  1867, 
a  lease  of  the  Cleveland  &  Toledo  Railroad  Company  was 
made  to  the  Cleveland,  Painesville  &  Ashtabula  Company. 
On  June  17th,  1868,  the  name  of  the  latter  organization 
was  changed  to  the  Lake  Shore  Railway  Company,  and  in 
February,  1869,  the  Cleveland  &  Toledo  Company  for- 
mally became,  by  consolidation,  a  part  of  the  Lake  Shore 
Railway  Company.  Thus  a  continuous  line,  owned  and 
operated  by  one  company,  extended  from  Erie  to  Toledo. 
That  extension  was  made  still  greater,  when  on  Alay  8th, 
1869,  this  great  organization  was  consolidated  with  the 
Michigan  Southern  &  Northern  Indiana  Railroad  Com- 
pany, heretofore  fully  described,  and  the  Lake  Shore  & 
Michigan  Southern  Railroad  came  into  being.  The  consol- 
idation from  Buffalo  to  Chicago  was  completed  on  August 
loth,  1869,  when  the   Buffalo  &  Erie  Company  came  into 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  333 

E.  Gillett,  David  R.  Paige,  L.  Lake  and  Peleg  P.  vSanford. 
Heman  B.  Ely  was  elected  president,  Abel  Kimball,  treas- 
urer,  and  Frederick   Harbacli,   engineer.     A  survey   was 
made  under  the  direction  of  the  last  named.     The  diffi- 
culties in  the  way    were  many,  but  the  company  finally 
secured  the   needed  monev,    and  made   a    contract   with 
Frederick   Harbach,  Amasa  Stone  and  Stillman  Witt,  on 
the   26th   of  July,  1850,  for  the   construction  of  the  road 
from  Cleveland  to  the  Pennsylvania  State  line.      For  the 
iirst  six  months,  the  work  progressed  slowly,   the   chief 
fear  of  the  time  being  that  steam-cars  could  never  com- 
pete  for  business  with  the  great  boats  then  running  from. 
Cleveland  to  Buffalo.      But  the  backers  kept  at  it  with  per- 
sistent energy,  and  finally,  late  in  1852,  a  locomotive  was 
enabled  to  travel  its  entire  length.     On  May  5th,  1854,  the 
Pennsylvania   Legislature   gave  ■  the  company  permission 
to  construct  an  extension  of  its  line  along  the  Franklin 
Canal  Railroad,  an  enterprise  that  had  passed  into  the  con- 
trol of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania,  to  Erie.     The  purchase 
of  the   Franklin  property  was  made,  and  thus  a  road  was 
completed  between  Cleveland  and  Erie,  with  connections 
through  to  the  east.     Steps  leading  up  to  the  grand  final 
consolidation  began  to  be  taken.      On  October  8th,  1867, 
a  lease  of  the  Cleveland  &  Toledo  Railroad  Company  was 
made  to  the  Cleveland,  Painesville  &  Ashtabula  Company. 
On  June  17th,  1868,  the   name   of  the   latter  organization 
was  changed  to  the  Lake  Shore  Railway  Company,  and  in 
February,    1869,   the   Cleveland  &  Toledo   Company  for- 
mally became,  by  consolidation,  a  part  of  the  Lake  Shore 
Railway  Company.     Thus  a  continuous  line,  owned  and 
operated  by  one  company,  extended  from  Erie  to   Toledo. 
That  extension  was  made  still  greater,  when  on  May  8th, 
1869,  this  great  organization  was    consolidated  with   the 
Michigan   Southern   &  Northern  Indiana   Railroad   Com- 
pany, heretofore  fully  described,  and  the    Lake   Shore   & 
Michigan  Southern  Railroad  came  into  being.    The  consol- 
idation from  Buffalo  to  Chicago  was  completed  on  August 
loth,  1869,  when  the   Buffalo  &  Erie  Company  came  into 


334  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

the  scheme,  and  this  great  railroad  and  eornmereial  force 
of  to-day  became  an  accomplished  fact.  Of  its  extensions 
and  dependent  lines  that  were  afterwards  purchased, 
leased,  or  built,  from  various  points  on  the  main  line  to 
Oil  City,  Youngstown,  Jackson,  and  other  places  in  Penn- 
sylvania, Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois,  and  Michigan,  no  men- 
tion in  this  connection  can  be  made. 

A  brief  glance  at  the  origin  of  some  of  the  later  rail- 
roads of  Cleveland  may  be  taken  here,  although  some  of 
them  came  into  existence  at  a  date  considerably  after  the 
period  now  under  consideration.  On  March  loth,  1845, 
the  Franklin  &  Warren  Railroad  Company  was  chartered 
to  build  a  road  from  Franklin,  Portage  County,  Ohio,  via 
Warren,  Trumbull  County,  to  the  eastern  vState  line,  and 
having  power  to  continue  the  same  westerly  or  southwest- 
erly. As  a  result,  a  line  was  built  from  the  State  line  in 
Trumbull  County  to  Dayton.  By  decree  of  court  on 
October  17th,  1854,  the  name  of  this  company  was 
changed  to  the  Atlantic  &  Great  Western  Railroad  Com- 
pany. This  was  later  incorporated  with  other  roads  un- 
der the  same  name ;  and  after  many  years  of  financial 
trouble  it  became  known  in  1880  as  the  New  York, 
Pennsylvania  &  Ohio  Railroad  Company,  and  later,  in 
company  with  its  Mahoning  line  into  Cleveland,  already 
described,  became  a  part  of  the  Erie  system,  and  as 
such  connects  Cleveland  with  both  the  east  and  the 
west. 

In  the  charter  of  the  Cleveland  &  Pittsburgh  road,  an 
amendment  was  made  on  February  19th,  185  i,  to  permit 
the  organization  of  a  separate  and  distinct  company  to 
construct  a  branch  line  from  Hudson,  via  Cuyahoga  Falls 
and  Akron,  to  Wooster,  or  some  other  point  between  Woos- 
ter  and  Massillon,  and  to  connect  with  such  other  roads  as 
might  be  desired.  The  company  was  organized  in  the 
following  March,  and  the  road  constructed  from  Hudson 
to  Millersburg.  In  1853,  the  name  Akron  Branch  was 
changed  to  the  Cleveland,  Zanesville  &  Cincinnati  Rail- 
road Company.      It  passed  under  the  control  of  the  Penn- 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  jjs 

sylvania  system  in  1869,  and  thus  secured  connection 
with  Cleveland. 

The  Lake  Shore  &  Tuscarawas  Valley  Railway  Com- 
pany was  incorporated  on  July  2nd,  1870,  its  declared 
purpose  being  to  build  a  road  from  a  point  near  Berea  to 
Mill  township,  Tuscarawas  County,  on  the  line  of  the 
Pittsburg,  Cincinnati  &  St.  Louis  road,  with  a  branch 
from  Elyria  to  a  convenient  point  on  the  main  line  in 
Medina  County.  The  road  was  built  from  Elyria,  via 
Grafton,  to  Uhrichsville,  and  completed  in  AugUvSt,  1873. 
In  October,  1872,  the  company  purchased  from  the  Elyria 
&  Black  River  Railway  Company  eight  miles  of  the  line 
of  the  latter,  extending  northward  from  Elyria  to  Black 
River  harbor,  now  known  as  Lorain.  In  1875,  the  Cleve- 
land, Tuscarawas  Valley  &  Wheeling  Company  was  in- 
corporated, and  all  of  the  above  property  passed  into 
its  possession,  under  sale  by  the  courts.  An  exten- 
sion through  to  Wheeling,  West  Va.,  was  completed 
in  1 880;  and  soon  after  that  the  whole  line  became 
known  as  the  Cleveland,  Lorain  &  Wheeling  Railroad 
Company. 

The  Valley  Railway  Company  was  chartered  August 
31st,  1 87 1,  with  a  capital  stock  of  three  million  dollars. 
It  was  formed  for  the  declared  purpose  of  building  a  line 
from  Cleveland  to  Wheeling,  through  Akron  and  Canton. 
The  survey  was  made  in  1872,  and  work  commenced  in 
1873.  The  panic  of  the  latter  year  fell  upon  the  new  en- 
terprise at  a  critical  moment,  and  in  1874  all  proceedings 
were  stopped,  and  so  remained  until  1878,  when  opera- 
tions were  resumed,  and  so  pushed  forward  that  cars  ran 
from  Cleveland  to  Canton  in  February,  1880.  Extensions 
were  pushed  forward  at  a  later  date.  Its  entrance  into 
Cleveland  was  by  way  of  the  old  canal  bed,  which  was  ceded 
by  the  State  of  Ohio  to  the  City  of  Cleveland  on  consider- 
ation that  a  weighlock  should  be  built  at  the  new  junction, 
between  the  canal  and  Cuvahoga  River.  The  citv  then 
leased  the  canal  bed  to  the  Valley  road  for  ninety-nine 
years,  receiving   in   payment  $265,000   in   the  road's  first 


jj6  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


mortgagevS."'  An  attempt  was  made,  before  construction 
commenced,  to  make  the  city  a  part  owner,  and  a  vote 
taken  as  to  whether  bonds  should  be  issued  for  that  pur- 
pose. The  answer  at  the  polls  was  a  negative.  The  en- 
terprising business  men  of  Cleveland  went  to  work,  how- 
<ever,  and  raised  five  hundred  thousand  dollars  in  subscrip- 
tions, and  thus  made  the  road  a  possibility. 

Yet  another  line  from  Cleveland,  down  into  the  coal  and 
iron  regions  of  the  south  and  southeast,  demands  con- 
sideration. The  Carroll  County  Railroad  Company  was 
chartered  as  early  as  March  9th,  1850,  and  a  strap-rail 
road,  operated  by  horse  power,  was  constructed  from  Car- 
rollton  to  Oneida,  a  distance  of  twelve  miles.  It  was 
opened  for  business  in  1854,  but  the  company  became  in- 
solvent, and  the  road  went  at  forced  sale  in  1859.  The 
new  purchasers  operated  it  for  several  years,  but  it  deteri- 
orated in  their  hands,  and  in  February,  1876,  there  was 
organized  the  Carrollton  &  Oneida  Railroad  Company, 
which  took  possession  of  the  old  line.  After  varying  for- 
tunes, it  became  known  as  the  Connotton  Valley  Railway 
Company,  and  was  completed,  into  Canton,  in  1880.  In 
the  same  year  the  Connotton  Northern  Railway  Company 
was  incorporated  to  build  a  line  from  Canton  to  Fairport 
on  the  lake  shore.  This  line  was  built  to  a  point  in  Por- 
tage Countv,  when  it  was  decided  to  change  its  northern 
terminus  to  Cleveland,  and  it  was  run  through  to  Com- 
mercial street,  in  this  city,  in  January,  1882.  The  Con- 
notton   Northern    was    consolidated    with    the    Connotton 

^•■^  The  act  to  transfer  this  property  from  the  control  of  the  vState  to  that 
of  the  City  of  Cleveland  was  passed  by  the  Legislature  April  29th,  1872. 
The  weighlock  was  removed  May  21st,  1S74.  The  matter  then  rested 
until  October  31st,  1879,  when  a  quitclaim  deed  was  given  to  the  city  by 
Governor  Bishop.  This  deed  was  formally  accepted  November  3rd,  1879, 
and  the  city  leased  the  property  on  November  4th,  1879,  to  the  Valley 
Railroad  Company  for  a  term  of  ninety-nine  years,  receiving  in  payment 
of  the  same  $265,000  in  first  mortgage  bonds  of  the  road.  November  loth, 
1S79,  this  lease  was  formally  approved  by  the  City  Council.  In  a  financial 
way,  aside  from  the  gain  in  business  from  the  increased  efficiency  of  the 
road,  Cleveland  was  a  loser  by  this  transaction,  as  it  expended  $288,405.37 
in  making  this  improvement.  This  amount,  however,  included  $125,000, 
which  was  paid  for  the  surrender  of  leases  to  a  portion  of  the  property. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


337 


Valley,  under  the  name  of  the  Connotton  A^alley  Railway 
Company.  The  line  was  pushed  down  to  the  present  depot 
on  Huron  and  Ontario  streets.  It  was  sold  by  the  court, 
on  May  9th,  1885,  to  the  stockholders  and  bondholders, 
who  reorganized  it  in  the  following  month,  under  the 
name  of  the  Cleveland  &  Canton  Railroad  Company. 

The  charter  for  the  construction  of  the  New  York,  Chi- 
cago &  St.  Louis  road,  from  Buffalo  to  Chicago,  via  Cleve- 
land and  Fort  Wayne, 
was  issued  under  the 
general  railroad  law  of 
New  York,  on  April 
13th,  1 88 1,  and  the 
construction  was  com- 
menced in  the  same 
year.  The  road  was 
opened  for  traffic  on 
October  23rd,  1882.  It 
was  sold  soon  after- 
wards to  William  H. 
Vanderbilt,  and  is  still 
a  part  of  the  great  Van- 
derbilt system  of  w^est- 
ern  roads. 
—  Returning  from  this 
somewhat  long  quest 
after  railroad  begin- 
nings and  experiences, 
we  resume  the  thread 
of  general  narration 
for  the  closing  years 
of  the  first  half  of  the 

century.  A  new  township,  that  of  East  Cleveland,  was 
organized  in  1847,  which  embraced  "all  of  the  one-hun- 
dred-acre lots  of  the  original  surveyed  township  No. 
7,  north  of  the  Newburg  line;"  and  on  March  22nd,  1850, 
an  act  was  passed  by  the  general  assembly  of  Ohio,  an- 
nexing the  remaining  part  of  said  township  to  the  City  of 


si.   John's  cathedral. 


JSS  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


Cleveland,  which  embraced  "all  of  the  ten-acre  lots,  and 
all  the  tinsurveyed  strip  lying  along  the  bank  of  the  river 
north  and  south  of  the  mouth  of  Kingsbury  Run." 

In  1848,  the  first  Superior  Court  of  Cleveland  was  cre- 
ated, with  Sherlock  J.  Andrews  as  judge,  and  George  A. 
Benedict,  clerk.  It  continued  for  the  period  of  five  years, 
but  was  dispensed  with  on  the  revision  of  the  judiciary 
system,  under  the  new  State  Constitution.  In  the  fall  of 
the  same  year  the  corner-stone  of  vSt.  John's  Cathedral,  on 
Erie  and  Superior  streets,  was  laid. 

The  growth  of  the  two  cities  was  at  this  time  of  a  ofrati- 
fying  character,  Ohio  City  having  pushed  out  as  far  as 
Clinton  street,  while  Cleveland  was  pushing  toward  the 
east  and  south.  Euclid  road  had  long  since  taken  on  the 
name  of  Euclid  street,  and  was  alreadv  beginning-  to  show 


'fc>^ 


those  evidences  of  beautiful  home-makincr  that  have  made 


fc. 


Euclid  avenue  one  of  the  famous  streets  of  the  world. 
A  writer  has  well  said  of  this  great  thoroughfare  and  its 
natural  advantages :  ' '  The  land  rose  from  the  lake  to 
within  a  short  distance  from  the  street,  then  fell  as  far  as 
a  line  of  the  street,  and  then  rose  gently  to  the  southward. 
Somewhat  singularly,  both  the  ridge  and  the  depression 
occupied  by  the  street  ran  almost  due  east  from  the  Public 
Square  for  two  miles,  and  then,  with  a  small  variation,  ran 
two  miles  farther  to  Doan's  Corners.  The  wealthy  resi- 
dents of  the  city  early  found  that  they  could  make  ex- 
tremely pleasant  homes  by  taking  ample  ground  on  the 
ridge  in  question,  and  building  their  houses  on  its  summit ; 
leaving  a  space  of  from  ten  to  twenty  rods  between  them 
and  the  street.  The  fashion,  once  adopted  by  a  few, 
was  speedily  followed  by  others,  and  a  residence  on  Euclid 
street,  with  a  front  yard  of  from  two  to  five  acres,  soon 
became  one  of  the  prominent  objects  of  a  Clevelander's 
ambition."  " 

It  was  in   1848  that  the  Cleveland  Board  of  Trade  took 

its  place  among  the  commercial  organizations  of  the  west. 

The  need  of   such   center   for  the   business   of  Cleveland 

"■*  "  History  of  Cuyahoga  County,"  compiled  by  Crisfield  Johnson,  p.  243. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


339 


had  been  felt  and  discussed  for  some  little  time.  The 
records  of  the  Board,  previous  to  1864,  have  been  lost,  or 
destroyed,  and  the  chief  sources  of  information  concerning 
it  are  found  in  the  newspapers  of  the  day.  In  the 
"  Herald"  of  July  8th,  1848,  we  find  the  following: 
"At  a  large  meeting  of  the  merchants  of  the  city,  held, 
pursuant  to  a  notice,  at  the  Weddell  House  on  Friday 
evening  the  7th,  William  Milford,  Esq.,  was  called  to  the 
chair,  and  vS.  S.  Coe  appointed  secretary.  After  a  state- 
ment from  the  chair  of  the  object  of  the  meeting,  on  mo- 
tion by  Joseph  L.  Weatherley :  Resolved,  That  the  mer- 
chants ■  of  this  city  now  organize  themselves  into  an  asso- 
ciation to  be  called  The  Board  of  Trade  of  the  City  of 
Cleveland."  vSome  of  the  best  known  of  the  early  mem- 
bers were  Joseph  Weath- 
erley, R.  T.  Lyon,  Richard 
Hilliard,  L.  M.  Hubby, 
Philo  Chamberlain, Charles 
Hickox,  Thomas  Walton, 
S.  S.  Stone,  R.  K.Win  slow, 
W\  F.  Otis  and  Sheldon 
Pease.  The  first  officers 
were:  Joseph  L.  Weath- 
erley, president;  W.  F. 
Allen,  Jr.,  vice-president; 
Charles  W.  Coe,  secretary ; 
R.  T.  Lyon,  treasurer.  At 
a  later  date,  we  shall  see 
how  much  has  grown  from  this  humble  beginning. 
The  second  of  Cleveland's  medical  institutions  was 
formed  in  1849,  being  the  Homoeopathic  Hospital  College, 
the  first  session  of  which  was  held  in  1849-50.  The 
faculty  was  composed  as  follows:  Charles  D.  Williams, 
dean;  Storm  Rosa,  A.  H.  Bissell,  Lewis  Dodge,  H.  L. 
Smith,  E.  C.  Witherell,  John  Brainard,  and  L.  K.  Rosa. 
The  first  board  of  trustees  was  composed  of  John 
Wheeler,  Joel  Tiffany,  Dudley  Baldwin,  A.  H.  Brainard, 
Edward    Wade,    Thomas    Brown,    R.     F.     Paine,     Amos 


JOSEPH    I..    WEATHERI.EV. 


j^o  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


Hutchinson,  George  King,  Benjamin  Bissell,  Samuel  Ray- 
mond, Richard  Hilliard,  L.  :SI.  Hubby,  Thomas  Miller, 
and  A.  O.  Blair. 

The  college  building,  in  which  this  useful  institution 
was  first  located,  was  at  the  corner  of  Prospect  and  Ontario 
streets.  It  was  at  this  point,  in  1852.  that  considerable 
damao-e  was  done  to  the  building  and  its  contents  bv  a 
mob  of  several  thousand  people,  who  were  incited  thereto 
by  stories  of  stolen  bodies  being  traced  to  the  college  dis- 
secting room.  The  college  had  an  honorable  and  useful 
career,  not  only  in  connection  with  its  educational  work, 
but  through  the  hospital  under  its  control.  The  second 
home  of  the  college  was  in  a  church  building,  formerly 
owned  by  the  Congregationalists,  on  Prospect  street,  a 
little  below  Erie  street.  It  remained  here  for  several 
years,  working  in  connection  with  the  Homoeopathic  Hos- 
pital, on  Huron  street.  In  1890,  the  college  became 
divided  into  two  schools,  one  taking  the  name  of  the 
Cleveland  University  of  Medicine  and  Surgery,  with 
headquarters  on  Huron  street,  and  the  other,  the  Cleve- 
land Medical  College,  located  on  Bolivar  street. 

The  Cuyahoga  Coimty  Agricultural  Society  also  was 
formed  in  1849,  and  for  a  number  of  years  its  fairs  were 
held  on  Kinsman  street  (now  Woodland  avenue),  and  later 
at  Newburg  and  Chagrin  Falls. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

TWO     CITIES     BECOME     ONE. 

In  a  previous  chapter,  the  passage  of  the  banking  law 
of  1845  ^'^'^  been  noted  in  full,  with  the  promise  that 
further  information  as  to  the  banks  of  Cleveland  formed 
thereunder  would  be  given  at  the  proper  chronological 
point.  Now  that  this  general  narration  has  been  carried 
to  the  half -century  inark,  it  seems  proper  to  speak  more 
fullv  of  the  beginnings  of  the  great  financial  centers  of 
Cleveland. 

The  City  Bank  of  Cleveland  had  its  origin  in  an  organ- 
ization called  the  Fireman's  Insurance  Company,  to 
which  had  been  given  the  power  to  do  a  general  banking 
biisiness,  but  not  to  issue  notes.  The  City  Bank  was  in- 
corporated May  17th,  1845,  with  a  charter  to  run  twenty 
years.  Reuben  Sheldon  was  elected  president,  and  T.  C. 
Severance,  cashier.  On  the  12th  of  February,  1865,  it 
closed  its  business,  and  opened  on  the  day  following  as 
the  National  City  Bank  of  Cleveland.  On  January  20th, 
1885,  its  charter  was  renewed  for  twenty  years. 

The  Merchants'  Branch  Bank  of  the  State  Bank  of  Ohio 
was  organized  June  25th,  1845,  also  with  a  twenty  years' 
charter.  P.  M.  Weddell  was  chosen  president,  and  Pren- 
tis  Dow,  cashier.  Its  successor  was  the  Merchants' 
National    Bank,    which   was   formed   on    December   27th, 

1864,  but  did  not  commence  business  until   February  7th, 

1865,  when  the  original  bank  ceased  operations.  T.  P. 
Handy  and  W.  L.  Cutter  were  re-elected  to  the  respective 
positions  of  president  and  cashier.  In  that  year  the  bank 
was  made  the  United  States  depository  for  the  receipt  of 
public  money.  The  charter  of  the  Merchants'  National 
Bank  expired  on  December  27th,  1884.  Its  successor,  the 
Mercantile  National  Bank,  was  organized  December  loth. 


342  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


1884,  and  commenced  business  on  the  29111  of  the  same 
month.  This  bank  soon  completed  and  occupied  an 
elegant  new  building  on  "the  old  corner,"  where  Mr. 
Handy  and  the  Commercial  Bank  of  Lake  Erie  joined 
fortunes  in  1832  ;  the  old  building,  which  was  torn  down 
to  give  place  to  the  new,  having  been  erected  in  1851. 

The  Commercial  Branch  of  the  State  Bank  of  Ohio  was 
organized  in  September,  1845,  with  the  usual  twenty  years' 
charter.  William  A.  Otis  was  made  president,  and  T.  P. 
Handy,  cashier.  It  opened  its  doors  for  business  on 
November  25th,  of  the  same  year,  in  a  block  on  Superior 
street,  near  Water  street.  The  Commercial  Branch  Bank 
was  wound  up  March  ist,  1865,  on  the  expiration  of  its 
charter,  and  the  Commercial  National  Bank,  which  had 
been  organized  December  ist,  1864,  in  preparation  for  this 
event,  assumed  the  business  on  the  same  day.  Its  charter 
was  renewed  in  1884,  and  the  bank  was  continued  with  no 
change  of  management  or  of  stockholders.  In  1869,  the 
Commercial  National  Bank  moved  into  its  own  quarters 
in  the  National  Bank  building,  which  had  been  jointly 
erected  by  it  and  the  Second  National  Bank,  on  the  corner 
of  Superior  and  Water  streets. 

The  charter  of  the  Cleveland  Society  for  vSavings  was 
issued  on  April  4th,  1849,  ^^^  on  August  2nd  of  the  same 
year  the  new  institution  was  opened  for  business.  John 
W.  Allen  was  chosen  president,  S.  H.  Mather,  secretary, 
and  J.  F.  Taintor,  treasurer.  In  a  short  time,  Mr.  Taintor 
withdrew,  and  the  two  offices  were  combined  in  Mr. 
Mather,  who  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life  in  devoted 
attention  to  the  interests  of  the  society,  being  its  president 
at  the  time  of  his  death.  While  there  is  much  that  might 
be  said  in  high  praise  of  all  the  banking  institutions  now 
under  consideration,  and  while  the  majority  of  Cleveland 
banks  have  been  managed  with  fidelity,  honesty,  and 
satisfactory  results  to  their  stockholders,  it  is  permissible 
to  make  special  reference  to  this  one,  which  has  made  a  re- 
markable record  —  especially  as  it  was  founded  on  what 
was,  in  those  days,  an  experiment  in  western  finance.     The 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


343 


Society  for  Savings  differs  from  most  banks  and  savings 
and  loan  associations,  in  that  it  has  no  capital,  and  that 
the  profits  go  to  the  depositors. 

Its  origin  is  a  matter  of  more  than  passing  interest. 
Early  in  1849,  Charles  J.  Woolson,  the  father  of  Miss 
Woolson,  who  has  won  such  deserved  fame  in  literature, 
was  talking   with   S.  H.  Mather,  then   a  member   of  the 


'.ir 


/■ 


SOCIETY    FOR    SAVINGS    BUILDING. 


Cleveland  bar,  and  in  the  course  of  the  conversation,  Mr. 
Woolson  suof2fested  to  Mr.  Mather  that  an  institution 
modeled  after  some  then  in  existence  in  the  East,  would  be 
a  benefit  to  Cleveland,  and  especially  to  its  poor.  The 
idea  abided  with  Mr.  Mather,  and  after  he  had  given  it 
proper  consideration,  he  consulted  Avith  other  gentlemen, 
and  the  result  was,  that  a  charter  was  procured  and  the 


344  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

bank  opened  for  business.  Its  beginning  was  humble. 
Part  of  a  room,  but  twenty  feet  square,  in  the  rear  of  the 
Merchants'  Bank,  was  secured,  the  rest  of  it  being  used 
as  desk  room  by  others.  The  first  deposit  was  made  by 
Mrs.  D.  E.  Bond,  in  the  sum  of  ten  dollars.  The  busi- 
ness gradually  increased,  and  after  the  objection  the  public 
holds  to  all  experiments,  had  worn  off,  the  success  of  the 
Society  was  a  settled  fact.  In  the  fall  of  1857,  it  became 
necessary  to  remove  to  a  more  commodious  building,  and 
that  afterwards  occupied  by  Everett,  Weddell  &  Co.,  on 
the  corner  of  Bank  and  Frankfort  streets,  was  secured. 
In  1867,  their  first  block  on  the  Public  Square,  which  the 
Society  had  built,  was  completed  and  moved  into,  and  at 
a  later  date  the  magnificent  new  building  projected  by 
the  vSociety  on  the  Public  Square,  at  its  junction  with  On- 
tario street,  was  completed  and  occupied.  In  a  financial 
sense,  the  Society  was  long  since  counted  one  of  the 
strongest  and  most  successful  of  the^banking  institutions 
of  the  West. 

The  charter  of  the  Bank  of  Commerce  was  issued  in 
1844  or  1845,  ^^^"^t  no  bank  was  then  established.  In  1853, 
it  was  purchased  by  H.  B.  Hurlbut,  and  the  bank  set  in 
motion.  Parker  Handy  was  chosen  president,  and  Mr. 
Hurlbut,  cashier.  In  a  short  time,  Mr.  Handy  resigned, 
and  Joseph  Perkins  was  elected  in  his  place.  In  May, 
1863,  it  was  changed  to  a  national  bank,  and  took  the  title 
of  the  Second  National  Bank,  the  law  then  requiring  the 
use  of  numerals  instead  of  names.  Mr.  Perkins  and  Mr. 
Hurlbut  continued  in  their  respective  offices  of  president 
and  cashier.  On  the  renewal  of  its  charter  in  1882,  the 
old  name  was  re-adopted,  and  it  was  thenceforth  known 
as  the  National  Bank  of  Commerce. 

In  185  I,  was  formed  the  private  banking  house  of  Wick, 
Otis  &  Brownell.  The  partners  were  H.  B.  and  H.  Wick, 
W.  A.  and  W.  F.  Otis,  and  A.  C.  Brownell.  In  1854,  the 
Wicks  purchased  the  interests  of  their  partners  and  the 
name  of  the  house  was  changed  to  H.  B.  &  H.  Wick.  In 
1857,  Henry  Wick   bought   out  his  brother,    and  having 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  34s 


taken  his  son  into  partnership,  the  bank  beeanie  known 
as  Henry  AViek  &  Co.  E.  B.  Hale  opened  a  private  bank 
in  1852;  in  1866,  he  formed  a  partnership  by  the  admis- 
sion of  W.  H.  Barris  to  the  firm,  and  the  name  was 
changed  to  E.  B.  Hale  &  Co.  The  private  banking  house 
of  Brockway,  Wason,  Everett  &  Co.,  commenced  busi- 
ness in  March,  1854.  The  partners  were  A.  W.  Brock- 
way,  Charles  Wason  and  Dr.  A.  Everett.  It  soon 
changed  to  Wason,  Everett  &  Co.,  on  the  retirement  of 
the  senior  partner;  and  when  Charles  Wason  disposed  of 
his  interest  and  H.  P.  Weddell  was  admitted,  the  firm 
name  became  Everett,  Weddell  &  Co.  Through  financial 
reverses,  it  closed  up  business  in  July,   1884. 

The  First  National  Bank  was  organized  May  23rd,  1863, 
beins:  one  of  the  first  half-dozen  that  came  into  life  under 
the  national  bank  law.  The  new  concern  was  not  alto- 
gether without  a  foundation  of  business  in  the  start,  as 
that  of  the  private  banking  house  of  S.  W.  Chittenden  & 
Co.  was  transferred  to  it.  George  Worthington  was  the 
first  president,  and  S.  W.  Chittenden,  cashier.  The  charter 
expired  in  June,  1882,  and  the  bank  continued  under  a  re- 
organization which  had  occurred  on  May  13th,   1882. 

The  Citizens'  Savings  &  Loan  Association  was  opened 
for  business  August  ist,  1868,  with  J.  H.  Wade  as  presi- 
dent, and  C.  W.  Lepper,  treasurer.  It  was  incorporated 
on  the  1 6th  of  May  of  the  same  year,  under  an  act  of  the 
Legislature  ' '  to  enable  associations  of  persons  to  raise  funds 
to  be  used  among  their  members  for  building  homesteads, 
and  for  other  purposes,  to  become  a  body  corporate." 
The  Ohio  National  Bank  was  organized  January  i,  1876. 
Robert  Hanna  was  the  first  president.  The  People's 
Savings  &  Loan  Association,  a  West  Side  institution,  was 
organized  on  March  2,  1869.  Daniel  P.  Rhodes  was  made 
president,  and  A.  L.  Withington,  secretary  and  treasurer. 
The  South  Cleveland  Banking  Company  was  organized  in 
June,  1879;  the  Savings  &  Trust  Company,  May  8,  1883; 
the  Cleveland  National  Bank,  May  21,  1883;  the  Union 
National  Bank,  June  7,  1884. 


346  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


With  the  Greater  Cleveland  of  this  century-ending  dec- 
ade, has  come  an  increased  demand  for  larger  and  more 
extended  banking  facilities.       Capital,   and   faith  in  the 
city's  future,  have  made  generous  and  ample  answer.     An 
enumeration  of  the  banking  institutions  in  existence,  at 
the   close  of     1895,  may  be   made   as   follows:   Broadway 
Savings  &    Loan    Company,    Brooklyn    Savings    &   Loan 
Association,  Central  National  Bank,   Citizens'  Savings  & 
Loan   Association,    Cleveland   National   Bank,   Cleveland 
Trust   Company,    Columbia    Savings   &   Loan   Company, 
Commercial  National  Bank,  Cuyahoga  Savings  &  Banking 
Company,     Detroit    Street    Savings    &    Loan    Company, 
Dietz,  Denison  &   Prior,   Dime  Savings  &  Banking  Com- 
pany, East  End  Savings  Bank  Company,  Euclid  Avenue 
National  Bank,  Euclid  Avenue  Savings  and  Banking  Com- 
pany,   First   National    Bank,    Forest   City  Savings   Bank 
Company,  Garfield  Savings  Bank  Company,  German  Amer- 
ican Savings  Bank  Company,  Guardian  Trust  Company, 
W.  J.  Hayes  &  Sons,  Indemnity   Building  &  Loan  Com- 
pany, Lake  Shore  Banking  &  Savings  Company,  Lorain 
Street  Savings  Bank   Company,  Marine   Bank   Company, 
Mercantile  National  Bank,  Merchants'  Banking  &  Storage 
Company,    National   Bank   of    Commerce,    National  City 
Bank,  Ohio  National   Building  &  Loan   Company,    Park 
National  Bank,  Pearl  Street  Savings  &  Loan  Company, 
People's  Savings  &  Loan  Association,  Permanent  Savings 
&  Loan  Company,  C.  H.  Potter  &  Company,  Produce  Ex- 
change Banking  Company,  Savings,  Building  &  Loan  Com- 
pany, Savings  &  Trust   Company,   Society  for  Savings, 
South  Cleveland  Banking  Company,  State  National  Bank, 
Union  Building  &  Loan  Company,  Union  National  Bank, 
United  Banking  &  vSavings  Company,  Wade  Park  Bank- 
ing Company,  West  Cleveland  Banking  Company,  West- 
ern Reserve  National  Bank,  Wick  Banking  &  Trust  Com- 
pany, Woodland  Avenue  vSavings  &  Loan  Company.' 


,,   1)5 


^•'' The  subjoined  figures,  taken  from  the  "Cleveland  Plain  Dealer,"  of 
November  12,  1S95,  form  a  fitting  comment  upon  the  above  list:  "  By 
the  statement  made  of  the  condition  of  the  twelve  National  Banks,  Septem- 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


347 


It  took  Cleveland  a  long  time  to  work  up  from  its  first 
bank  to  a  Clearing  House  Association.  The  latter  was 
formed  on  the  28th  of  December,  1858,  its  purpose  being 
"  to  effect  at  one  place,  and  in  the  most  economical  and 
safe  manner,  the  daily  exchange  between  the  several  as- 
sociated banks  and  bankers ;  the  maintenance  of  uniform 
rates  for  Eastern  exchange,  and  the  regulation  of  what 
descriptions  of  funds  shall  be  paid  and  received  in  the 
settlement  of  business. ' '  The  f ollowinsf  banks  and  bank- 
ers  subscribed  to  the  articles  of  association :   Commercial 


¥,.     '    ^^^   '- 


"THE    flats"    in    1S57. 

Branch  Bank,  Merchants'  Branch  Bank,  Bank  of  Com- 
merce, City  Bank,  Forest  City  Bank,  Wason,-  Everett  & 
Co.,  H.  B.  &  H.  Wick  &  Co.,Svhitman,  Standart  &  Co., 
and  Fayette  Brown.     T.  P.  Handy  was  elected  president 

ber  28th,  1895,  the' combined  capital  stock  paid,  in  amounted  to  $9,458,250; 
the  surplus  to  $2,699,769;  the  deposits  $24,391,423,  and  the  loans  $27,710,- 
654;  and  on  October  7th,  the  twenty-six  State  Banks  and  Savings  Socie- 
ties showed  a  combined  paid-up  capital  of  $5,078,960,  with  surplus  and 
undivided  profits  $4,054,877;  deposits  $48,691,080,  and  loans  $34,852,768. 
Taking  the  combined  deposits  of  all  the  banking  institutions,  as  above,  the 
amount  reaches  the  enormous  figure  of  $73,082,503,  which  is  more  than 
one-third  the  deposits  of  all  the  banks  in  the  State  of  Ohio. ' ' 


348  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


and  W.  L.  Cutter,  secretary.  T.  P.  Handy,  Lemuel  Wick 
and  Fayette  Brown  constituted  the  executive  committee. 

The  banks  of  Cleveland  have  had  rather  less  than  their 
share  of  failures,  burglaries  and  defalcations,  although  a 
few  relics  of  that  character  have  been  discovered,  in  this 
search  into  the  records  of  the  past.  The  first  discovery 
partakes  more  of  the  character  of  the  legendary  than  of 
the  hard  solidity  of  historic  fact.  It  pictures  the  senior 
Leonard  Case,  in  the  days  when  the  Commercial  Bank  of 
Lake  Erie  was  housed  in  a  portion  of  his  dwelling,  sitting 
on  his  hearthstone,  with  a  hatchet,  ready  to  brain  an  indus- 
trious burglar  who  was  working  his  way  in  with  a  spade ; 
but,  as  no  use  was  made  of  the  hatchet,  it  is  to  be  sup- 
posed that  this  primitive  burglar  was  warned  away,  or 
found  the  task  greater  than  the  possible  stake.  Or,  per- 
haps, the  bank  broke  up  before  he  completed  the  tunnel, 
and  he  desisted,  lest  possession  of  the  bank  should  make 
him  responsible  for  its  liabilities. 

Of  a  more  definite  character  is  the  attack  made  by  de- 
termined men  on  the  old  Canal  Bank,  which  exploded  into 
thin  air,  in  the  early  part  of  November,  1854.  Those  were 
exciting  times  to  men  who  held  the  paper  money  then 
afloat,  and  who  made  haste  to  get  rid  of  it,  in  fear  that  it 
might  turn  to  worthless  paper  in  their  hands.  So  com- 
mon was  the  explosion  of  weak  concerns  that  the  ' '  Plain 
Dealer,"  in  those  days  of  Gray,  dug  from  its  cellar  a  relic 
of  the  "Hard  Cider  Campaign,"  a  cut  of  a  log-cabin  being 
blown  up,  and  published  it  from  day  to  day  over  the  an- 
nouncement of  each  crash.  The  evaporation  of  the  Canal 
Bank  was  not  unexpected,  and  we  read  in  the  "Herald  " 
of  November  9,  1854,  the  calm  announcement  that  "the 
failure  of  this  bank  excited  no  surprise  in  this  city." 
' '  During  the  day, ' '  adds  this  unmoved  chronicler,  ' '  a  crowd 
was  about  the  door,  where  a  force  of  police  were  stationed 
to  prevent  any  disturbance."  The  "Plain  Dealer  "  of  the 
same  date  seems  to  have  found  some  indorsement  of  its 
financial  doctrines,  in  this  and  like  failures,  as  it  treats 
the  Canal  wreck  in  a  cheerful   strain.      It   savs:   "About 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  S49 

the  Canal  Bank,  yesterday,  there  was  not  only  a  large,  but 
a  greatly  interested  crowd.  The  bill-holders,  who  got  the 
gold  for  their  notes,  were  arrayed  in  smiles,  and  con- 
trasted, most  ludicrously,  with  the  grim-visaged  deposi- 
tors, who  got  nothing." 

Isaac  L.  Hewitt,  H.  W.  Huntington,  and  AV.  J.  Gor- 
don were  appointed  assignees,  but  objection  being  raised 
to  Mr.  Huntington,  he  gave  place  to  the  late  E.  F.  Ga}-- 
lord.  There  seems  to  have  been  no  headlong  rush  for 
the  position  of  assignee,  as  it  was  offered  in  succession  to 
Franklin  T.  Backus,  Philo  Chamberlain,  H.  N.  Gates,  and 
George  Mygatt,  and  as  often  declined.  There  was  great 
excitement  for  a  few  days,  and  the  old  men  of  Cleveland 
tell  the  tale  in  a  Homeric  strain,  wherein  lies  an  intima- 
tion that,  though  these  modern  days  have  their  share  of 
stirring  events,  they  are  not  such  as  saw  the  fall  of  Troy, 
or  Dr.  Ackley's  raid  on  the  outer  and  inner  walls  of  the 
Canal  Bank  vault.  But  even  Dr.  Ackley  had  his  prede- 
cessor. On  the  day  preceding  the  failure,  a  fresh-water 
captain  named  Gummage  had  deposited  one  thousand  dol- 
lars, the  result  of  the  season's  labor  and  danger  on  the 
great  lakes.  When  told  that  his  cash  w^as  swallowed  up, 
he  became  desperate,  and  proceeded  to  a  desperate  reme- 
dy. Arming  himself,  he  entered  the  bank  and  demanded 
his  money.  When  it  was  refused,  he  said:  "It  is  all  the 
money  I  own  in  the  world,  and  I  will  have  it  or  I  will  kill 
you  I"  He  meant  what  he  said  and  looked  his  meaning, 
and  his  cash  was  handed  over  without  parley.  No  one 
ever  proceeded  against  him,  in  law  or  otherwise. 

Dr.  H.  C.  Ackle}^  who  was  as  determined  as  he  Avas 
eccentric,  had  a  personal  deposit  in  the  Canal  Bank,  but 
laid  no  claim  to  it  in  preference  over  the  other  victims. 
He  was,  however,  one  of  the  trustees  of  the  State  Insane 
Asylum  at  Newburg,  and  had  placed  in  the  bank  nine 
thousand  dollars  of  the  public  funds.  On  the  announce- 
ment of  the  suspension,  he  demanded  this  sum,  which  he 
did  not  get.  He  hurried  to  the  sheriff's  office  and  swore 
out  a  writ  of  attachment.     vSheriff  M.  M.  Spangler  pro- 


350 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


ceeded  to  the  bank,  Avhich  was  located  on  Superior  street, 
near  the  American  House,  in  the  building  now  occupied 
by  the  ' '  Leader, ' '  and  took  possession.  ' '  The  keys  of  the 
vault  being  refused  him,"  says  the  "Herald,"  "  he  pro- 
ceeded to  break  open  the  vault.  The  excitement,  both 
inside  and  outside  the  bank,  was  intense  while  the  work 

proceeded;  but,  to  the  credit 
of  our  citizens,  no  signs  of 
riot  were  displayed.  Dr. 
Ackley  has  a  heavy  deposit 
of  his  own,  but  has  procured 
an  attachment  only  on  behalf 
of  the  State,  claiming  that 
unless  its  money  is  procured, 
the  asylum  at  Newburg  can 
not  be  opened  for  more  than 
a  vear,  and  that  durinof  that 
time  one  hundred  insane 
patients  will  be  deprived  of 
treatment." 

Sheriff  Spangler  construed  his  duty  to  be  the  getting  of 
the  money,  and  when  he  found  that  brick  walls  and  iron 
doors  opposed  the  entrance  of  the  law,  he  summoned  sev- 
eral stalwart  deputies,  and,  under  the  guardianship  of  Dr. 
Ackley,  who  is  said  by  ancient  rumor  to  have  threatened 
to  shoot  the  first  man  who  interfered,  laid  down  such 
lusty  blows  as  had  not  been  heard  since  Richard  of  the 
Lion  Heart  drove  his  battle-axe  against  the  castle  gates 
of  Front-de-Boeuf.  Sledge-hammers  swung  in  the  air, 
and  came  down  on  the  brickwork  with  a  crash ;  clouds  of 
lime  and  mortar  filled  the  room.  The  population  of 
Cleveland  could  almost  have  been  enumerated  from  those 
who  crowded  on  the  scene.  The  officers  and  clerks  of 
the  bank  looked  on,  helpless  to  prevent,  and  in  no  posi- 
tion to  aid.  F.  T.  Backus,  a  part  owner  of  the  building, 
and  the  attorney  of  the  bank,  rushed  in  and  ordered  a  halt, 
on  the  grounds  of  trespass.  The  sheriff  replied  that  he 
had  come  for  the  money,  and  that  it  was  a  part  of  his  offi- 


MAYOR    H.    M.    CHAPIN. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  331 

cial  oath  to  get  it.  The  blows  still  fell,  and  at  one  o'clock 
the  outer  wall  of  the  vault  was  broken,  and  measures  set 
on  foot  to  break  into  the  burglar-proof  vSafe.  Truces  were 
held,  from  time  to  time,  lawyers  rushed  here  and  there, 
with  messages,  advice,  and  papers;  but  the  sheriff  knew 
no  law  but  that  of  his  writ,  and  had  but  one  purpose, 
which  was  to  get  at  the  cash.  Finally,  late  at  night,  to  vsave 
the  safe  from  damage,  the  assignees  gave  up  the  keys,  and 
the  hard-earned  money  was  carried  away  by  the  sheriff. 
There  were  $400  in  gold  and  $1,460  in  bills.  The  one 
hundred  insane  of  Northern  Ohio  had  their  shelter  for  the 
year,  and,  if  the  stories  of  the  day  were  well  founded,  the 
depositors  were  not  the  worse  off  for  it,  as  very  small  re- 
turns were  forthcoming,  in  settlement  of  their  claims. 

Sheriff  Spangler,  in  a  personal  interview,  some  years 
ago,  informed  me  that  the  excitement  was  intense,  and 
the  affair  talked  about  for  weeks  afterward.  He  said  that 
while  he  was  hammering  away,  he  was  threatened  with 
prosecution  for  damages  by  Mr.  Backus,  the  attorney  for 
the  bank,  and  by  its  cashier  and  assignees;  but  the  more 
they  talked,  the  more  determined  was  he  to  gain  his  point. 

While  Cleveland  has  been  quite  successful  in  the  ma- 
jority of  her  banking  ventures,  she  cannot  be  said  to  have 
been  equally  so  in  connection  with  the  insurance  compa- 
nies, which  her  citizens  have  established,  from  time  to 
time.  The  inain  cause  for  their  disappearance  may  be 
found  in  the  great  Chicago  fire  of  1871,  that  bankrupted 
a  number  and  caused  the  winding  up  of  others. 

As  early  as  1830,  the  Cleveland  Insurance  Company  was 
chartered,  w^th  power  to  do  both  an  insurance  and  a  bank- 
ing business.  Edmund  Clark,  was  made  president,  and 
S.  W.  Chittenden,  secretary.  It  was  conducted  for  years 
exclusively  as  a  banking  concern,  but  reorganized  as  an  in- 
surance company  in  1861.  It  went  by  the  board  through 
the  great  fire  above  referred  to.  The  Cleveland  Mutual 
Fire  Insurance  Company  was  incorporated  in  March, 
1849,  was  never  very  successful,  and  eventually  wound  up. 
In  1 85  I,  the  Commercial  Mutual  Insurance  Company  was 


3S2  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

organized,  was  caught  in  the  Chicago  fire,  reorganized  as 
the  Mercantile  Insurance  Company,  and  continued  until 
1890,  when  it  reinsured  in  an  Eastern  concern,  and  went 
out  of  business.  The  Washington  Insurance  Company- 
was  chartered  in  1851,  failed,  and  wound  up  its  career 
with  a  number  of  vexatious  lawsuits.  The  City  Insurance 
Company  of  Cleveland  came  into  existence  in  1854,  but 
had  a  brief  and  by  no  means  profitable  existence.  The 
German  Fire  Insurance  Company  was  organized  in  1859, 
and  sent  suddenly  out  of  existence,  because  of  heavy  risks 
in  Chicago.  The  Buckeye  Insurance  Company  came  in 
1863,  and  was  wound  up  in  1870.  The  State  Fire  &  Ma- 
rine Insurance  Company  was  organized  in  1864,  reorgan- 
ized as  the  State  Fire  Insurance  Company,  and  afterwards 
reinsured  its  risks  and  went  out  of  business.  The  Sun 
Fire   Insurance  Company  opened  operations   in   or  near 

1865,  made  an  excellent  record,  and  wound  up  its  affairs 
in  good  order.  Other  companies  of  a  later  date  were  as 
follows:  The  Teutonia  Fire  Insurance  Company,  organ- 
ized in  1866,  wound  up  after  the  Chicago  disaster;  the 
Midas  Insurance  Company,  organized  in  1866,  reorgan- 
ized as  the  Forest  City  Insurance  Company,  and  wound 
up  in  1871  ;  the  Allemannia  Fire  Insurance  Company,  or- 
ganized in  1869,  made  an  assignment  and  went  out  of  ex- 
istence in  1874;  the  Hibernia  Fire  Insurance  Company 
incorporated  in  1869,  and  wound  up  in  1878;  the  Resi- 
dence Fire  Insurance  Company  chartered  in  1874,  and 
wound  up  in  1877.  The  Board  of  Fire  Underwriters  of 
Cleveland  was  organized  in  June,  1846,  with  the  follow- 
ing officers:  J.  L.  Weatherly,  president;  C.  C.  Carleton, 
vice-president;  H.  F.  Brayton,  treasurer;  George  May, 
secretary.  It  continued  in  active  existence  until  1863, 
or   1864,  when  its  functions  ceased  temporarily,  or  until 

1866,  when  it  was  reorganized,  and  has  since  been  in 
active  operation."*^ 

^^  Much  of  the  information  in  the  above  is  taken  from  an  able  and  ex- 
tended article  in  the  "Cleveland  Voice,"  of  January  11,  i8g6,  entitled 
"Insurance  in  Cleveland."  The  history  of  all  these  companies  is  there 
ofiven  in  detail. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


353 


The  census  enumeration  of  1850  is  a  fair  point  at  which 
to  commence  the  general  story  of  Cleveland  for  these  later 
years,  as  it  showed  the  presence  of  a  population  of  17,034. 
This  indicated  a  steady  and  healthful  growth  for  the  ten 
preceding  years.  It  was  a  period  of  present  prosperity, 
and  of  promise  for  the  future.  The  lake  fleet  was  at  its 
summit  of  popularity,  and  of  service  as  a  means  of  pas- 
sage, as  the  railroads  had  not  yet  begun  to  make  the  de- 
structive inroads  of  a  later  day.  The  stage  coaches  were 
kept  busy,  carrying  loads  of  travelers  to  and  from  Cleve- 
land, manufacturers  were  reaching  out  and  extending,  the 
municipality  was  in  a  pro- 
gressive mood,  and  Cleve- 
land had  earned  the  right  to 
be  called  a  city  in  fact,  as  in 
name.  vSome  additions,  in  a 
material  and  moral  w^ay,  that 
were  made  during  several 
succeeding  years,  may  be 
briefly  mentioned.  The  Lake 
Shore  Foundry  was  estab- 
lished by  Mr.  Seizer,  in  1850, 
and  continued  under  his  luan- 
agement  until  1866.  The 
luanufacture  of  organs  was 
commenced  by  Child  &  Bish- 
op in  1852,  and  the  concern 
became  eventually  known  as  the  Jewett  &  Goodman  Or- 
gan Company.  The  Third  Presbyterian  Church  was  or- 
ganized, with  thirty  members,  on  March  25,  1850,  and  two 
years  later  changed  its  policy  to  the  Congregational,  and 
its  name,  to  the  ' '  Plymouth  Church  of  Cleveland. ' '  It  was 
also  in,  or  near,  1850  that  a  Young  Men's  Christian  Asso- 
ciation was  organized  in  this  city,  and  a  work  commenced 
that  has  been  productive  of  increasing  good,  through  all 
the  years  that  have  since  passed.  Reading  rooms  were 
opened  on  Superior  street,  and  the  Association  flourished 
until  the  breaking  out  of  the  Civil  War,  when  a  majority 


Y.  M.  C.  A.  BUILDING,   1 875. 


354  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

of  tlie  members  answered  the  call  of  their  country,  and 
the  Association  passed  into  suspension,  for  lack  of  support. 
In  1866,  the  present  Association  was  organized.  In  1872, 
it  opened  rooms  on  the  north  side  of  the  Public  Square, 
and  later  moved  to  more  commodious  quarters  on  Euclid 
avenue,  near  Sheriff  street.  Still  later,  it  erected  and  oc- 
cupied a  handsome  and  commodious  building  on  the  cor- 
ner of  Prospect  and  Erie  streets.  It  has  done  great  good 
in  various  ways,  not  the  least  of  which  has  been  the  work 
among  the  railway  men,  and  the  opening  and  maintenance 
of  a  branch  at  the  Union  Passenger  Depot. 

In  accordance  with  the  provisions  of  the  new  State  con- 
stitution, adopted  in  1851,  the  General  Assembly  passed 
a  law  for  the  organization  and  government  of  municipali- 
ties within  the  State,  repealing  all  the  charters  then  in 
force.  The  chief  change  in  the  local  government  was  the 
abolishment  of  the  Board  of  Aldermen,  an  increase  in  the 
number  of  elected  officials,  and  the  establishment  of  a 
police  court,  the  duties  of  which  had  been  previously  per- 
formed by  the  mayor. 

William  Case  was  elected  mayor  in  1850,  and  again  in 
185  I,  and  Abner  C.  Brownell  in  1852,  the  last  chosen  un- 
der the  old  charter.  The  city  election  of  1853  was  one  of 
unusual  importance,  as  a  number  of  new  officials  were 
added  to  the  list  of  those  chosen  by  the  people.  A  special 
vote  also  was  taken,  to  determine  whether  or  not  the  city 
should  expend  four  hundred  thousand  dollars  for  the 
erection  of  water  works.  Abner  C.  Brownell  became  his 
own  successor,  and  the  other  officers  first  chosen  under 
the  new  charter  were  as  follows :  Police  Judge,  John  Barr ; 
Clerk  of  Poliee  Court,  Orlando  J.  Hodge;  Proseeutiiig  Attor- 
ney, Bushnell  White;  Commissioners  of  Water  Works,  H. 
B.  Payne,  B.  L.  Spangler,  Richard  Hilliard;  Directors  of 
Infirmary,  Orson  Spencer,  James  Barnett,  Alex.  W.  Wal- 
ter; Commissioners  of  Streets,  A.  Mcintosh,  J.  M.  Hughes, 
J.  B.  Wheeler;  Marshal,  Michael  Gallagher;  Auditor,  J. 
B.  Bartlett;  Treasurer,  William  Hart;  Solieitor.  James 
Fitch;   Fire  Engineer,  William  Cowan;   Harbor  Master,  C. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  jsS 

Stillinan;  Scxfoii,  James  A.  Craw;  Supcriiitciidciit  of  Mar- 
kets.^sf .  K.  Morton:  Scaler  of  WcigJits  and  Measures,  David 
Shut;  Weigher,  A.  Wheeler;  Civil  Engineer,  J.  W.  Pills- 
bury;  Constables,  W.  R.  vSimmons,  John  (Jdell,  Barnev 
Mooney,  James  Hill;  Trustees,  George  F.  Marshall,  James 
B.  AVigham,  W.  H.  Sholl,  James  Gardner,  Robert  Reil- 
ley,  W.  J.  Gordon,  Henry  Everett,  Richard  C.  Parsons; 
Assessors,  James  Whitaker,  William  Redhead,  David 
Schub,  James  Proudfoot.  On  the  question  of  issuing 
water  works  bonds,  the  vote  stood  as  follows: 

For.     Against. 

First  Ward 3G5  55 

Second  Ward 2S5  21S 

Third  Ward 423  61 

Fourth  Ward 157  265 

1,230  599 

The  City  Council  Avas  busy,  for  some  months,  in  pass- 
ing ordinances  defining  the  duties  of  the  new  officers, 
and  especially  those  of  the  newly- created  municipal 
boards.  The  four  hundred  thousand  dollars  of  bonds 
were  delivered  to  the  water  works  trustees,  who  were  di- 
rected to  go  ahead  and  erect  the  works  as  soon  as  possible. 

The  first  session  of  Cleveland's  Police  Court  was  held 
on  April  17,  1853,  in  a  small  back  room  in  the  Gaylord 
Block,  on  Superior  street,  between  Seneca  street  and  the 
Public  Square.  Judge  Barr  did  not  occupy  the  bench,  as 
none  had  been  provided,  but  took  his  seat  behind  a  low 
desk,  w^hile  Mr.  Hodge,  the  clerk,  occupied  a  similar  desk 
at  his  right.  The  first  entry  upon  the  record  book  is  as 
follows:  ''The  vState  of  Ohio,  City  of  Cleveland,  S.  A.; 
the  Police  Court  of  the  City  of  Cleveland  commenced  and 
held  in  said  city,  on  the  17th  day  of  April,  Anno  Domini 
1853,  agreeable  to  the  laws  of  the  State  of  Ohio.  Present 
his  honor,  John  Barr,  judge  of  the  Police  Court,  C.  C. ;  B. 
White,  Esq.,  prosecuting  attorney  of  said  city;  ]M.  Gal- 
■  lagher,  marshal  of  said  city.  Attest,  O.  J.  Hodge,  clerk 
Police  Court  C.  C."  The  first  case  upon  the  docket  was 
for  "  getting  up  a  false  alarm  of  fire,"  while  some  of  the 


35(> 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


earlier  charges  were  "immoderate  driving  in  the  street," 
"selling  unwholesome  ineat,"  "forestalling  market," 
' '  soliciting  guests  drunk  ' '  and  a  ' '  breach  of  the  peace  by- 
disturbing  a  ball  at  Kelley's  hall."  A  new  police  station 
house  was  erected  within  a  reasonably  short  time,  on 
Johnson  street,  near  Water  street,  and  the  Police  Court 
occupied  its  second  story. 

The  Probate  Court  of  Cuyahoga  County  came,  also,  into 
existence   under  th;  new  judicial   system  created  by  the 

new  State  constitution.  Pre- 
vious to  that  time,  the  probate 
of  wills  and  settlement  of  es- 
tates had  been  in  the  hands 
of  the  Common  Pleas  Court. 
A  remarkable  fact  inay  be 
noted  in  connection  with  the 
office  of  probate  judge — that, 
in  all  the  years  since  the  or- 
ganization of  this  court,  it 
has  had  but  three  incum- 
bents. Flavel  W.  Bingham 
was  elected  in   1852,    Daniel 


MAYOR  stb;phex  buhrer. 


R.     Tilden  '•*'    in    18 


3D' 


and 


Henry  C.  White,  the  present  able  incumbent,  in  1887. 
The  reference  made  heretofore  to  Dr.  H.  A.  x\ckley's 
determined  and  unselfish  efforts  to  secure  from  the  broken 
Canal  Bank  the  money  belonging  to  the  insane  of  the 
State,  suggests  the  existence  of  an   institution  which   in 

^''  "The  long  official  life  of  Judge  Tilden,  is  the  most  remarkable  on 
record,  either  in  this  or  any  other  State.  He  was,  probably,  fifty  years  old 
when  he  came  to  Cleveland.  He  had  been  a  prominent  lawyer  in  Portage 
County ;  had  held  official  position  there,  and  had  served  m  Congress,  as  far 
back  as  when  Abraham  Lincoln  was  a  member.  On  coming  to  Cuyahoga 
County,  he  became  a  partner  with  Robert  F.  Paine,  for  a  few  years  and 
until  his  election,  in  the  fall  of  1854,  to  the  position  which  to  him  proved 
substantially  a  life  office,  at  least  reaching  far  beyond  that  period  of  life 
when  judges  in  many  States  are  necessitated  to  retire,  by  constitutional 
limitation." — "  Bench  and  Bar  of  Cleveland,"  p.  35.  Judge  Tilden  passed 
from  life  m  1S90.  He  was  born  in  Connecticut  in  1S06,  and  first  came  to  the 
Western  Reserve  in  1828. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  337 

those  days  was  in  its  infancy.  On  the  30th  of  April, 
1852,  the  State  Legislature  passed  a  law  providing-  for  the 
erection  of  two  additional  asylums  for  the  insane,  the 
State  then  possessing  but  one,  which  was  at  Columbus. 
An  appropriation  was  made  for  that  purpose,  and  Prof. 
H.  A.  Ackley,  E.  B.  Fee,  Daniel  B.  Woods,  Charles  Cist, 
and  Edwin  Smith  were  appointed  a  board  of  trustees. 
At  a  meeting  on  July  9,  1852,  it  was  decided  that  one  of 
these  institutions  should  be  located  in  Newburg.  An 
adequate  building  was  erected,  and  opened  for  the  recep- 
tion of  patients  on  March  5,  1855.  Additions  were  made 
in  i860,  and  again  in  1870.  By  a  fire  which  occurred  on 
September  25,  1872,  the  greater  part  of  this  structure  was 
destroyed,  with  the  records  and  statistics,  and  some  loss 
of  life.  The  asylum  was  rebuilt,  as  soon  as  possible,  a 
much  finer  and  larger  structure  taking  the  place  of  the 
old  one.  The  institution  has  borne  several  names,  the 
changes  being  as  follows:  Northern  Ohio  Lunatic  Asy- 
lum, Northern  Ohio  Hospital  for  the  Insane,  Cleveland 
Hospital  for  the  Insane,  and  Cleveland  Asylum  for  the 
Insane.  Charity  Hospital  also  saw  its  beginning  in  1852, 
under  the  direction  of  Bishop  Rappe,  its  building  on 
Perry  street  being  begun  in  1863.  vSt.  Vincent's  Orphan 
Asylum  also  was  projected  in  1852,  by  Bishop  Rappe, 
and  it  was  in  this  same  year  of  benevolent  work  that  the 
foundations  of  the  Cleveland  Protestant  Orphan  Asylum 
were  laid.  It  was  organized  on  January  22nd,  at  a  meet- 
ing held  for  that  purpose  in  the  Stone  Church.  In 
April  of  the  same  year,  the  institution  was  opened  in  a 
leased  house,  on  the  corner  of  Erie  and  Ohio  streets.  In 
1855,  the  asylum  was  moved  to  its  newly-erected  build- 
ing on  Willson  and  Woodland  avenues,  where  it  re- 
mained for  over  twenty  years,  and  then  took  possession 
of  its  present  large  and  adequate  structure  on  St.  Clair 
street.  The  measure  of  its  good  work  can  only  be  found 
in  an  enumeration  of  the  thousands  of  homeless  little 
ones  which  it  has  gathered  into  its  protecting  fold.  An- 
other of   Cleveland's  active  benevolent  institutions  also 


S58  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

found  its  origin  in  ICS53,  when  the  Rev.  D.  Prosser,  and 
others  of  a  like  missionary  spirit,  opened  the  so-called 
Ragged  School,  out  of  which,  in  after  years,  grew  the  In- 
dustrial School  and  Children's  Aid  vSogiety  and  Home. 

In  1853,  the  vessel  building  interests  of  Cleveland  took 
a  new  start,  and  made  a  rapid  progress.  By  1856,  a  total 
of  thirty-seven  new  craft  was  reported,  having  a  tonnage 
of  nearly  sixteen  thousand.  The  industry  has  not  only 
held  its  own  from  that  dav  to  this,  but  has  o-rown  into  a 
prominent  place  in  the  commercial  development  of  the 
city.  Between  1849  and  1869,  nearly  five  hundred  vessels 
of  all  kinds  for  lake  navigation  were  built  in  the  district 
of  Cuyahoga,  nearly  all  of  which  were  the  production  of 
Cleveland's  yards.  The  rapid  growth  of  the  lake  busi- 
ness of  Cleveland  is  shown  by  the  records  of  the  Board  of 
Trade,  which  as  early  as  1884  gave  a  total  tonnage  regis- 
ter of  84,295. 

The  Western  Reserve  has  been  often  described  as  a 
section  of  New  England  set  down  in  Ohio.  The  ties  that 
bound  these  western  colonies  to  the  parent  State  in  the 
east  were  always  strong,  and  even  closer  ones  were 
woven  near  the  middle  of  the  century,  by  an  increased 
immigration  to  Cleveland,  from  the  New  England  States. 
It  was  decided,  about  this  time,  to  form  a  permanent 
association  among  the  New  Englanders  of  the  city. 
Steps  toward  carrying  the  idea  into  effect  were  taken  on 
December  22,  1853.  A  meeting  was  held  in  the  Second 
Presbyterian  Church,  where  an  eloquent  address  was 
delivered  by  Hon.  Erastus  Hopkins,  of  Massachusetts. 
The  main  portion  of  the  audience  then  adjourned  to  the 
Weddell  House,  where  a  banquet  was  served,  after  which 
speeches  were  made  by  Mayor  Brownell,  R.  P.  vSpalding, 
Hiram  Griswold,  John  A.  Foot,  Gen.  John  Crowell, 
Richard  C.  Parsons,  Rev.  F.  T.  Brown,  and  others. 

Immediate  action  was  not  taken,  but  early  in  Decein- 
ber,  1855,  the  New  England  Society  of  Cleveland  was  or- 
ganized, with  the  following  officers:  President,  Benjamin 
Rouse;    Mcc-Prcsidcuts,  George  Mygatt  and  Orlando  Cut- 


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THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  s59 

ter  ;  Ma^iagers,  Peter  Thatcher,  Joseph  Perkins,  Selah 
Chamberlain,  Joseph  Masury  and  John  C.  Proctor.  A 
constitution  was  adopted,  in  which  it  was  declared  that 
the  membership  should  consist  only  of  natives  of  New 
England  States,  or  the  sons  of  such  natives.  Dinners 
were  given,  from  time  to  time,  the  last  one  being  at  the 
Angier  House,  in  1859.  I'tie  subsequent  history  of  the 
Society  is  thus  related  by  its  last  treasurer,  William 
Perry  Fogg:^^  "Thirty  years  have  passed,  and  the  New 
England  Society  still  remains  but  a  memory  of  the  gener- 
ation that  is  now  rapidly  passing  away.  In  1859,  '^^^ 
writer,  as  treasurer  of  the  society,  had  a  balance  in  his 
hands  of  %\  1 1 .50.  It  was  deposited  by  him  in  the  Society 
for  Savings,  and  on  September  18,  1895,  he  was  informed 
that  the  amount  standing  to  the  credit  of  the  New  Eng- 
land Society  was  $290.30." 

The  "memory"  to  which  ^Nlr.  Fogg  refers  became  once 
more  an  actuality,  amid  the  reviving  influences  of  Cleve- 
land's Centennial   year.     On    December  21,    1895,   there 
was  a  meeting  of  those  of  New  England  birth,  at  Plym- 
outh Congregational  Church.      Speeches  were  made  by 
Charles  F.  Thwing,  H.   Q.   Sargent,  N.   B.   Sherwin,  M. 
M.  Hobart,  F.  J.  Dickman  and  R.  C.  Parsons,  and  inter- 
esting reminiscences  were  related  by  L.  F.  Mellen,  Mrs. 
E.   M.   Avery,   Mrs.  B.   F.   Taylor,  Mrs.  AV.   A.   Ingham, 
W.  P.    Horton  and  L.   E.  Holden.     Old-time  songs  were 
sung  by  "Grandfather"  vSnow  and  "Grandma"  Hawley. 
This  meeting  was  so  inspiring  that  it  was  decided  to  re- 
vive the  old  New  England  .Society,  and  so,  on  January  i, 
1896,    it    was    reorganized,    with    the    following    officers: 
President,   N.    B.    Sherwin;  Vicc-Prcsidoiis,   L.   E.   Holden, 
E.    R.    Perkins,  F.    C.    Keith,  M.  M.  Hobart,    F.  J.  Dick- 
man,  William  Bingham;  Secretary,  L.  F.  Mellen;  Treasurer, 
S.  C.  Smith;    Chaplain,  Rev.  Livingston  L.  Taylor;    Trus- 
tees, L.  E.  Holden,  A.  G.  Colwell,  R.  C.  Parsons,  William 
Edwards,  L.   F.   ^^lellen,  S.   C.  Smith,  M.  M.  Hobart,  W. 

98  "The  New  England  Society  of  Cleveland— Its  Origin  and  History;" 
by  William  Perry  Fogg.— "  Cleveland  Plain  Dealer,"  November  17,  1895. 


j.(5o  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


P.  Horton,  H.  R.  Hatch,  James  Barnett,  F.  A.  Kendall, 
N.  B.  Sherwin,  I.  P.  Lamson,  H.  O.  Sargent,  Thos.  H. 
White,  J.  H.  Breck,  Mrs.  W.  A.  Ingham,  Mrs.  C.  F.  Ol- 
ney,  Mrs.  P.  H.  Babcock,  Mrs.  Elroy  M.  Avery,  Mrs.  E. 
D.  Burton. 

By  the  middle  of  the  century,  the  city  found  that  it  had 
need  of  additional  burial  grounds.  Steps  were  taken  to 
supply  that  need,  and  Woodland  Cemetery  came  into  ex- 
istence. (Jther  burial  places  had  already  been  added,  from 
time  to  time.  Thus  the  Brooklyn  Cemetery  Association 
had  been  incorporated  in  May,  1849,  and  the  North  Brook- 
lyn Cemetery  was  opened,  on  Scranton  avenue,  between 
Wade  and  Seymour  avenues.  St.  Joseph's  Roman  Catho- 
lic. Cemetery,  on  Woodland  avenue,  opposite  Woodland 
Cemetery,  was  set  aside  for  burial  purposes,  by  Bishop 
Rappe,  in  1849.  A  plot  of  ground  to  be  used  as  a  Jewish 
cemetery  was  laid  out  in  1849,  on  Willett  street,  by  the 
Israelitish  Church  Congregation,  and  when  this  society 
was  merged  into  the  Anshe  Chesed  congregation,  this 
place  of  burial  passed  into  the  control  of  the  latter. 

Woodland  Cemetery  is  the  largest  and  most  important 
of  any  with  which  the  municipality  is  officially  connected. 
It  had  been  debated,  for  some  time,  whether  the  city 
should  or  should  not  purchase  a  plot  adequate  in  size  to 
the  growing  needs  of  the  public,  and  at  a  point  suffi- 
ciently remote  from  the  business  and  residence  sections. 
This  talk  began  to  crystalize  into  action  in  1851,  and  a 
definite  point  was  reached  on  August  19th,  when  a  resolu- 
tion for  the  purchase  of  land  was  adopted  by  the  City 
Council.  It  was  introduced  by  Stoughton  Bliss,  and  di- 
rected the  mayor,  in  behalf  of  the  city,  to  purchase  from 
Benjamin  F.  Butler  "sixty  and  sixty-two  hundredths  acres 
of  land,  being  a  part  of  the  Bomford  tract,  so-called,  in 
the  City  of  Cleveland,  ....  on  the  terms  proposed 
by  him,  for  a  public  burial  ground,  or  cemetery,  of  said 
city."  The  amount  to  be  paid  was  $13,639.50.  The 
resolution  was  unanimously  adopted.  On  May  18,  1853, 
Georo-e  F.  Marshall  offered  a  resolution  to  the  effect  that 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  361 

the  new  ofrounds  should  be  known  as  "Woodland  Ceme- 
tery,"  which  was  unanimously  adopted,  and  on  June  14th 
appropriate  dedicatory  services  were  conducted. 

The  later  additions  to  the  cemeteries  of  Cleveland  com- 
prise St.  Mary's,  Lake  View,  and  Riverside.  Monroe 
Street  Cemeter}-  became  a  part  of  Cleveland  on  the  an- 
nexation of  Ohio  City.  St.  Mary's,  on  Clark  avenue  and 
Burton  street,  was  purchased  by  Bishop  Rappe  and  St. 
]\Iarv's  congregation,  in  1861,  and  is  used  by  the  German 
and  Bohemian  Catholics  of  the  West  vSide. 

Lake  View  Cemetery,  on  Euclid  avenue,  in  the  extreme 
eastern  limits  of  the  city,  belongs  to  a  private  corpora- 
tion, known  as  the  Lake  View  Cemetery  Association.  It 
was  laid  out  in  1869,  and  covers  an  area  of  about  three 
hundred  acres.  Lying  upon  a  series  of  high  knolls  over- 
looking Lake  Erie,  with  intervening  valleys  and  natural 
water  courses,  it  has  been  adorned  by  the  hand  of  man,  so 
that  it  stands  to-day  as  one  of  the  most  beautiful  and  pic- 
turesque spots  in  America.  Scores  of  magnificent  monu- 
ments mark  the  resting  place  of  Cleveland's  dead,  while 
above  them  the  shaft,  erected  by  a  grateful  and  loving 
people,  shows  where  the  martyred  Garfield  lies  in  eternal 
sleep,  in  the  heart  of  that  beloved  portion  of  Ohio  where 
he  was  born,  and  in  which  his  early  days  were  passed. 

Riverside  Cemetery,  which  overlooks  the  Cuyahoga 
River  from  the  South  Side,  was  laid  out  in  1876,  by  a  com- 
pany of  its  lot  owners,  incorporated  under  the  name  of  the 
Riverside  Cemetery  Association.  One  hundred  and  more 
acres  of  land  were  purchased  and  beautified,  and,  like 
Lake  View,  it  has  become  one  of  the  most  beautiful  places 
of  burial  to  be  found  anywhere  in  the  West. 

There  have  been  many  happy  municipal  marriages,  but 
few  have  been  so  advantageous  to  both  contracting  par- 
ties, and  followed  by  vsuch  fruitful  results,  as  that  concern- 
ing which  I  now  speak.  Manifest  destiny  made  the  Cuy- 
ahoga Valley  a  bond  of  union,  rather  than  a  line  of  divi- 
sion, between  Cleveland  and  the  City  of  Ohio.  That  these 
two  civic  corporations  should  become  one,  was  ordained 


362  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

from  the  beginning,  and  it  seems  incredible,  from  this 
later  point  of  view,  that  there  should  ever  have  been  op- 
position to  the  union  from  any  intelligent  source ;  yet  such 
opposition  there  was,  upon  both  sides  of  the  river. 

A  formal  protest  came  from  Cleveland  in  1850,  when  A. 
Mcintosh  offered  a  resolution  in  the  City  Council,  declar- 
ing that  as  ''an  effort  is  being  made  by  several  individuals 
to  obtain  from  the  Legislature  a  law  annexing  Ohio  City 
to  the  City  of  Cleveland, ' '  the  City  Council  declares  that 
such  action  "  at  this  time  is  not  desirable,  and  is  not  be- 
lieved to  meet  the  views  of  our  citizens,  at  so  short  no- 
tice. ' '  Five  votes  were  cast  in  favor  of  this  resolution,  and 
three  against  it. 

The  real  official  commencement  of  the  annexation  aofita- 
tion  was  in  the  Cleveland  City  Council,  on  August  19, 
1 85 1,  when  Buckley  Stedman  introduced  an  ordinance 
providing  for  the  submission  of  the  question  of  annexation 
between  Cleveland  and  Ohio  City,  to  the  qualified  voters 
of  Cleveland.  The  measure  passed  by  a  unanimous  vote. 
At  a  meeting  held  on  October  15th,  the  votes  cast  at  a 
special  election  on  October  14th  were  announced  as  fol- 
lows : 

For  T]nio7i,  For  Union, 

''Yes:'  "A'o." 

First  Ward 266  277 

Second  Ward 2:;?o  337 

Third  Ward 257  184 

Fourth  Ward 97  300 

Total 850         1,098 

The  question  was,  therefore,  pretty  well  settled  in  the 
negative,  so  far  as  that  vote  went.  In  November,  1853, 
the  question  again  loomed  up,  when  Robert  Reilley  of- 
fered a  resolution  in  the  City  Council,  directing  that  a 
committee  of  three  be  appointed  by  the  president  "to  con- 
sult with  the  members  of  the  Ohio  City  Council,  relative 
to  taking  initiatory  steps  towards  annexing  said  city  to 
the  City  of  Cleveland,  and  report  at  the  next  meeting." 
This  was  adopted,  and  Robert  Reilley,  James  B.  Wigham 
and  James  Gardner  were  appointed  said  committee. 


fijy*iA^ff.  or 
About    1053 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  363 

It  took  the  committee  some  time  to  conclude  their  nego- 
tiations, as  their  report  was  not  forthcoming  until  Feb- 
ruary I,  1854,  when  the  following  was  presented:  "  That 
said  committee  had  a  consultation  with  the  Ohio  City  com- 
mittee, and  that  said  committees  together  had  adopted 
the  following  resolution,  to  wit:  Resolved,  That  we  recom- 
mend to  the  councils  of  the  two  cities  which  we  respect- 
ively represent,  to  pass  an  ordinance  submitting  to  the 
voters  thereof  the  question  of  annexing  their  municipal 
corporations." 

On  February  2nd,  Richard  C.  Parsons  presented  an  or- 
dinance to  provide  for  a  second  submission  to  the  qualified 
voters  of  the  City  of  Cleveland  of  the  question  of  annexa- 
tion. He  moved  that  the  rules  requiring  ordinances  of  a 
general  and  permanent  nature  to  be  read  on  three  differ- 
ent days  be  suspended.     This  was  agreed  to,  unanimously. 

The  election  occurred  on  April  3  (1854),  the  day  of  the 
regular  city  elections,  and  the  result  showed  that  there 
had  been  a  great  change  of  public  opinion  since  the  prop- 
osition came  up  before  and  w^as  defeated.  It  was  car- 
ried, with  1,892  votes  for,  to  only  400  against.  Ohio  City 
voted  on  the  same  day,  with  the  following  result :  For  an- 
nexation, 618;  against,  258. 

The  next  forward  step  by  municipal  Cleveland,  for  the 
union  with  her  neighbor  across  the  river,  was  taken  on 
June  5th  of  the  same  year,  when  a  special  meeting  was 
held  to  consider  the  report  of  the  commissioners  appointed 
to  meet  those  of  Ohio  City.  Those  gentlemen  informed 
the  Council  that  they  had  "  concluded  an  arrangement 
wath  said  commissioners  for  the  City  of  Ohio,  providing 
the  terms  and  conditions  on  which  such  annexation  shall, 
if  approved  by  the  respective  city  councils,  take  place." 
The  agreement  they  submitted  covered  a  number  of 
points,  some  of  which  were  as  follows: 

"  That  the  territory  now  constituted  the  City  of  Ohio 
shall  be  annexed  to,  and  constitute  a  part  of,  the  City  of 
Cleveland,  and  the  First,  Second,  Third  and  Fourth 
wards  of  the  former  city,  as  now  constituted,  shall  consti- 


i 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  363 

It  took  the  committee  som.e  time  to  conclude  their  nego- 
tiations, as  their  report  was  not  forthcoming  until  Feb- 
ruary I,  1854,  when  the  following  was  presented:  "  That 
said  committee  had  a  consultation  with  the  Ohio  City  com- 
mittee, and  that  said  committees  together  had  adopted 
the  following  resolution,  to  wit :  Resolved,  That  we  recom- 
mend to  the  councils  of  the  two  cities  which  we  respect- 
ively represent,  to  pass  an  ordinance  submitting  to  the 
voters  thereof  the  question  of  annexing  their  municipal 
corporations." 

On  February  2nd,  Richard  C.  Parsons  presented  an  or- 
dinance to  provide  for  a  second  submission  to  the  qualified 
voters  of  the  City  of  Cleveland  of  the  question  of  annexa- 
tion. He  moved  that  the  rules  requiring  ordinances  of  a 
general  and  permanent  nature  to  be  read  on  three  differ- 
ent days  be  suspended.      This  was  agreed  to,  unanimously. 

The  election  occurred  on  April  3  (1854),  the  day  of  the 
regular  city  elections,  and  the  result  showed  that  there 
had  been  a  great  change  of  public  opinion  since  the  prop- 
osition came  up  before  and  was  defeated.  It  was  car- 
ried, with  1,892  votes  for,  to  only  400  against.  Ohio  City 
voted  on  the  same  day,  with  the  following  result:  For  an- 
nexation, 618;  against,  258. 

The  next  forward  step  by  municipal  Cleveland,  for  the 
union  with  her  neighbor  across  the  river,  was  taken  on 
June  5th  of  the  same  year,  when  a  special  meeting  was 
held  to  consider  the  report  of  the  commissioners  appointed 
to  meet  those  of  Ohio  City.  Those  gentlemen  informed 
the  Council  that  they  had  "  concluded  an  arrangement 
Avith  said  commissioners  for  the  City  of  Ohio,  providing 
the  terms  and  conditions  on  which  such  annexation  shall, 
if  approved  by  the  respective  city  councils,  take  place." 
The  agreement  they  submitted  covered  a  number  of 
points,  some  of  which  were  as  follows : 

"  That  the  territory  now  constituted  the  City  of  Ohio 
shall  be  annexed  to,  and  constitute  a  part  of,  the  City  of 
Cleveland,  and  the  First,  Second,  Third  and  Fourth 
wards  of  the  former  city,  as  now  constituted,  shall  consti- 


364  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

tute  the  Eighth,  Ninth,  Tenth  and  Eleventh  wards,  re- 
spectively, of  the  last-named  city;  and  the  present  trus- 
tees of  said  wards  .  .  .  shall  hold  their  offices 
for  the  terms  for  which  they  have  been  severally  elected." 
It  was  further  aofreed  that  the  wards  should  be  so  arranofed 
that  the  people  on  the  west  side  of  the  river  should  have 
as  large  a  proportion  of  the  nuinber  thereof  as  it  had  of 
population,  and  that  the  property  of  each  city  should  be- 
long to  the  joint  corporation,  which  should  be  responsible 
for  the  debts  of  both.  Ohio  City's  liability  for  bonds 
issued  to  pay  its  subscription  to  the  junction  Railroad 
Compan\^'s  stock,  which  were  afterwards  paid  by  the  sale 
of  the  stock,  was  not  included,  however;  while  another 
exception  gave  to  the  original  City  of  Cleveland  any  sur- 
plus it  might  realize  from  its  subscriptions  to  several  rail- 
roads, which  surplus  was  to  be  expended,  under  the  direc- 
tion of  the  trustees  representing  that  district  in  the  new 
corporation,  for  park  or  other  public  purposes. '■••'  The 
commissioners  on  the  part  of  Cleveland  were  W.  A.  Otis, 
H.  V.  Willson  and  F.  T.  Backus;  while  those  represent- 
ing Ohio  City  were  W.  B.  Castle,  N.  M.  Standart  and  C. 
vS.  Rhodes.  An  ordinance  was  passed,  on  the  same  day, 
carrying  the  agreement  into  effect,  and  with  the  passage 
of  a  similar  measure  across  the  river,  the   union  of  the 

^^  "  It  is  well  known  that  the  city  realized  a  large  surplus  from  its  stocks, 
after  the  payment  of  its  obligations  given  therefor,  perhaps  the  only  case 
of  its  kind  in  the  whole  country.  In  addition  to  this  fund,  the  city  also 
realized  a  considerable  amount  of  stock  from  the  sale  of  its  lands  north  of 
Bath  street,  on  the  lake  shore,  to  these  several  roads,  to  which  it  had  given 
its  credit.  March  28,  1862,  an  act  was  passed  by  the  Legislature,  creat- 
ing a  board  of  fund  commissioners,  to  take  charge  of  this  fund.  Nothing 
more  need  be  said  of  the  management  thereof,  than  that  from  this  fund 
over  a  million  and  seven  hundred  thousand  dollars,  has  been  paid  to  dis- 
charge the  debt  of  the  city,  and  over  a  million  still  remains  {1884)  in  the 
hands  of  the  commissioners.  It  is  one  of  the  pleasant  recollections  of  the 
person  who  addresses  you,  that  in  his  ofificial  capacity,  representing  this 
community,  he  inserted  in  his  own  handwriting,  in  the  original  bill  as  it 
was  passed,  the  honored  names  of  Heniy  B.  Payne,  Franklin  T.  Backus, 
William  Case,  Moses  Kelley,  and  William  Bingham,  who  thereby  were 
made  the  commissioners  of  said  fund." — Hon.  S.  O.  Griswold,  in  "The 
Corporate  Birth  and  Growth  of  Cleveland." — "Annals  of  the  Early  Set- 
tlers* Association,"   No.  5,  p.  56. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  j6s 

cities  became  complete, — that  which  nature,  the  needs  of 
commerce,  and  the  development  of  both,  had  joined  to- 
gether, no  man  ct)iild  thereafter  put  asunder.^ 

The  first  regular  meeting  of  the  joint  City  Council,  was 
held  on  Monday,  June  lo,  1854.  Richard  C.  Parsons  was 
elected  president  by  a  unanimous  vote,  while  J.  B.  Bart- 
lett  was  made  city  clerk.  During  several  succeeding 
sessions,  a  large  amount  of  routine  business  was  disposed 
of,  in  getting  the  affairs  of  the  enlarged  corporation  adjust- 
ed, and  in  disposing  of  the  remnants  of  business  left  by 
Ohio  City.  Among  these,  were  the  excavation  and  open- 
ing of  the  ship  channel,  and  the  improvement  of  the  old 
river  bed.  One  of  the  questions  soon  disposed  of  was 
that  of  securing  for  the  city  an  abundant  and  permanent 
supply  of  pure  fresh  water. 

We  have  already  seen  how  a  water  company  was  cre- 
ated by  legislation,  in  1833,  with  an  enlargement  of  pow- 
ers in  1850,  and,  also,  how  nothing  came  of  the  measure. 
One  of  the  first  steps  taken  in  the  direction  of  municipal 
ownership  and  control  was  in  1850,  when  George  A.  Bene- 
dict, and  others,  presented  a  petition  to  the  City  Council, 
urging  the  propriety  of  taking  immediate  steps  for  the 
''  supplying  of  the  city  with  wholesome  water,"  and  ask- 
ing that  a  competent  hydraulic  engineer  be  engaged  to 
explore,  survey,  and  estimate  the  expense  of  a  supply 
from  the  Shaker  Mill,  Tinker's  Creek  and  Lake  Erie,  and 
also  "the  amount  of  water  to  be  relied  upon  from  each 
of  these  sources."  In  January,  1851,  William  Bingham 
offered  a  resolution  appointing  the  mayor  (William  Case) 
and  any  three  citizens  he  might  choose,  a  committee  to  re- 
port to  the  Council,  at  as  early  a  day  as  possible,  a  plan  for 
supplying  the  city  with  water,  and  authorizing  them  to 
employ  competent  engineers  to  assist  them  in  their  duties. 

'  A  list  of  the  mayors  of  the  City  of  Ohio  may  be  given  here  as  follows: 
1836,  Josiah  Barber;  1837,  Francis  A.  Burrows;  1838-9,  Norman  C.  Bald- 
win; 1S40-1,  Needham  M.  Standart;  1S42,  Francis  A.  Burrows;  1843, 
Richard  Lord;  j 844-5-6,  D.  H.  Lamb;  1S47,  David  Griffith;  1S4S,  John 
Beverlm;  1849,  Thomas  Burnham ;  1S50-1-2,  Benjamin  Sheldon;  1853, 
William  B.  Castle. 


3b6  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

With  that  rare  judgment  and  patriotic  energy  that  char- 
acterized all  his  public  labors.  Mayor  Case  ^  gave  himself 
to  this  labor,  with  a  wisdom  and  a  foresight  that  have  been 
well  justified  by  results.  Progress  was  made  quite  slowly, 
however,  as  October  29,  1852,  arrived  before  a  plan  was 
submitted.  On  that  date,  Mayor  Brownell  announced  to 
the  City  Council  that  ' '  some  two  years  ago  a  committee 
was  appointed  to  examine  the  subject  of  supplying  the 
city  with  pure  water ;  that  in  the  discharge  of  their  duties 
they  had  collected  many  valuable  statistics,  and  were  now 
present  with  their  report." 

This  was  read  by  Mr.  Case,  was  accepted,  and  referred 
to  the  special  committee,  with  instructions  to  procure  the 
services  of  a  competent  hydraulic  engineer  to  "examine 
the  report,  make  the  necessary  survey,  and  draw  plans  of 
the  work,  to  be  submitted  to  the  Council  at  an  early  day." 
T.  R.  Scowden  was  engaged  to  perform  the  designated 
task.  The  plans  and  specifications  were  finally  submitted 
on  jMarcli  22,  1853,  were  adopted,  and  the  committee  dis- 
charged. 

The  first  board  of  AVater  Works  Commissioners  con- 
sisted of  H.  B.  Payne,  B.  L.  Spangler  and  Richard  Mill- 
iard, who  were  elected  under  the  new  laws,  at  the  general 
election  of  1853.  We  have  seen  how  bonds  to  the  amount 
of  two  hundred  thousand  dollars  were  voted  them,  and 

^William  Case,  son  of  Leonard  Case,  Sr.,  was  born  in  Cleveland  on 
August  to,  iSiS.  He  attended  an  academic  school  kept  by  the  Rev. 
Colley  Foster,  on  Ontario  street,  and  then  the  preparatory  school  of 
Franklin  T.  Backus.  He  had  hoped  to  enter  Yale,  but  gave  that  up  to 
become  his  father's  business  assistant.  He  was  fond  of  hunting  and  nat- 
ural history,  and  was  the  moving  spirit  in  that  little  coterie  of  congenial 
friends  who  established  the  famous  "Ark,"  down  on  the  Public  Square. 
He  served  in  the  Cit\'  Council,  and  as  Mayor  of  Cleveland  gave  the  city 
intelligent  and  patriotic  service.  He  labored  in  the  interest  of  Clev^e- 
land's  first  railroad,  serving  as  president  of  the  Clev^eland,  Painesville  & 
Ashtabula  Railroad  Company.  As  is  above  shown,  he  had  much  to  do 
with  the  creation  of  the  city's  system  of  water  works.  In  1859,  he  began 
the  erection  of  Case  Hall,  but  died  of  consumption  in  1S62,  before  its 
completion.  A  full  and  appreciative  sketch  of  the  Case  family,  and  its 
connections  with  Cleveland,  may  be  found  in  the  Western  Reserve  Histor- 
ical Society's  Tract  No.  79,  from  the  able  pen  of  Hon.  James  D.  Cleveland. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


3^7 


how  they  were  instructed  to  go  ahead  with  the  works. 
On  October  12th,  a  resolution  was  passed  by  the  Council, 
approving  the  suggestion  of  the  commissioners  that  the 
works  should  be  located  on  the  west  side  of  the  river,  and 
steps  were  taken  for  the  appropriation  of  the  needed  land. 
The  reservoir  on  Kentucky  street,  and  the  tall  tower  and 
pumping  house  on  the  lake  front,  soon  stood  in  evidence 


THE    CITY    HALL. 


as  to  how  well  the  instructions  had  been  carried  out. 
Cleveland  was  secure  in  a  water  supply,  and  the  day  of  the 
cistern  and  town  pump  had  gone  by  forever. 

Among  the  leading  events  of  a  general  nature  set  down 
to  the  credit  of  1855,  was  the  lease  of  a  portion  of  the  new 
Jones  building,  on  the  southwest  corner  of  the  Public 
Square,  for  a  Council  Hall,  and  for  other  municipal  pur- 


,_^^<?  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

poses.  Possession  was  taken  in  November,  and  there  the 
nmnicipal  headquarters  remained,  until  the  lease  of  the 
new  Case  Bloek,  now  occupied.  In  the  same  year,  Cleve- 
land became  possessor  of  its  first  United  States  District 
Court,  with  Hiram  V.  Willson  as  judge;  Daniel  O.  Mor- 
ton, district  attorney;  Jabez  W.  Fitch,  marshal;  and 
Frederick  W.  Green,  clerk.  Lewis  Dibble  became  chief 
bailiff,  and  Henry  H.  Dodge  and  Bushnell  White,  the  first 
United  States  Commissioners.  The  opening  of  this  court 
was  the  occasion  of  one  of  the  most  notable  of  the  social 
gatherings  of  the  Cleveland  Bar,  and  has  been  described  ^ 
as  follows:  "The  first  of  the  series  of  legal  and  judicial 
festivities,  within  the  memory  or  knowledge  of  the  writer, 
was  a  banquet  at  the  Angier  House  (now  Kennard  House), 
in  1855,  given  by  the  members  of  the  Cleveland  Bar  to 
the  gentlemen  of  the  bar  of  the  northern  district  of  Ohio, 
then  in  attendance  on  the  United  States  District  Court, 
soon  after  the  accession  of  Judge  Willson,  the  first  judge 
of  that  court.  It  was  a  memorable  occasion.  The  ap- 
pointments of  the  great  dining  hall,  and  the  luxuries  of 
the  table,  were  in  keeping  with  the  admirable  taste  of  the 
proprietor,  and  the  fame  of  the  house.  The  occasion  was 
honored  by  the  presence  of  Judge  Willson,  and  a  very 
large  number  of  the  most  prominent  lawyers  of  the  sev- 
eral cotmties  comprising  the  United  States  judicial  dis- 
trict." 

In  1856,  steps  were  taken  toward  enclosing  the  Public 
Square,  and  a  committee  of  the  City  Council  appointed  to 
investigate  the  legality  of  such  action.  They  reported 
favorably,  but  no  action  was  taken  until  March,  1857, 
when  fences  were  erected;  and  it  took  legal  action  and  a 
decision  of  the  court,  in  1867,  to  remove  the  obstructions, 
and  to  establish  the  legal  fact  that  the  highways  of  Su- 

3  F.  T.  Wallace,  in  "Bench  and  Bar  of  Cleveland,"  p.  176.  At  a  date 
somewhat  later  than  that  named  above,  banquets  were  annually  held  by 
the  Cleveland  Bar,  the  first  occurring  on  March  loth,  1880,  presided  over 
by  Hon.  Henry  B.  Payne.  Speeches  were  made  by  Martin  Welker,  R.  F. 
Paine,  D.  R.  Tilden,  J.  M.  Jones,  John  W.  Heisley,  John  Hutchins,  and 
F.  J.  Dickman.     Similar  gatherings  were  also  held  in  18S1,  1SS2,  and  1SS3. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


^6g 


perior  and  Ontario  streets  must  be  left  forever  unbarred 
to  travel,  and  the  use  of  vehicles  and  pedestrians.  There 
was  great  excitement  upon  both  occasions,  many  opposing 
the  fence  in  the  one  instance,  and  many  other  its  removal 
in  the  other. 

vSteps  were  taken,  in  1856,  towards  the  erection  of  an  ad- 
equate market  house,  and  a  committee  which  had  been 
previously  appointed  reported  to  the  City  Council,  in  De- 
cember, in  favor  of  the  present  Central  Market  grounds, 
on  Ontario  and  Bolivar  streets.  The  land  was  purchased 
and  cleared,  and  the  erection 
and  opening  of  the  building 
soon  followed. 

The  year  1857  was  one  of 
importance  in  this  respect, 
that  it  saw  the  practical  open- 


MAYOR    F.    W.    I'ELTON. 


ing  of  the  iron  business,  to 
which  Cleveland  owes  so 
much,  and  which  has  done  so 
much  to  make  this  a  great 
manufacturing  center.  Of 
the  beofinninofs  in  this  line, 
Charles  A.  Otis,'*  a  prominent 
iron  luanufacturer,  has  said : 
"  The  first  rolling  mill  at  Cleveland  Avas  a  plate  mill, 
worked  on  a  direct  ore  process,  which  was  a  failure.  It 
went  into  operation  in  1854  or  1855.  The  mill  is  now 
(1884)  owned  by  the  Britton  Iron  &  Steel  Company.  The 
next  mill  was  built  in  1856,  by  A.  J.  Smith  and  others,  to 
re-roll  rails.  It  was  called  the  Railroad  Rolling  Mill,  and 
is  now  owned  by  the  Cleveland  Rolling  Mill  Company, 
At  the  same  time,  a  man  named  Jones,  with  several  as- 
sociates, built  a  mill  at  Newburg,  six  miles  from  Cleveland, 
also  to  re-roll  rails.  It  was  afterwards  operated  by  Stone, 
Chisholm  &  Jones,  and  is  now  owned  by  the  Cleveland 


Rolling  Mill  Company 


In  1852. 


I  erected  a  steam  forofe 


■*  Statement  in   "History  of  the  Manufacture  of  Iron  in  all  Ages,"  by 
James  M.  Swank;  p.  240.     Published  in  Philadelphia  in  1SS4. 


jfo  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

to  make  wrought  iron  forgings,  and  in  1859,  I  added  to  it 
a  rolling  mill,  to  manufacture  merchant  bar,  etc.  The 
Union  Rolling  Mills  were  built  in  1861  and  1862,  to  roll 
merchant  bar  iron." 

The  service  rendered  by  Henry  Chisholm  to  the  iron  in- 
terests of  Cleveland  cannot  be  overestimated.  By  uni- 
versal consent,  he  stands  at  the  head  of  the  city's  benefac- 
tors in  this  direction.  He  was  born  in  vScotland,  in  1822, 
and  came  to  America  when  twenty  years  of  age.  He  was 
a  carpenter,  and  followed  that  trade  in  Montreal,  and  in 
1850  was  engaged  in  the  construction  of  railroad  break- 
waters in  Cleveland,  and  soon  after  settled  permanently 
in  this  citv.  In  1857,  as  above  stated,  he  became  a  manu- 
facturer of  iron  in  Newburg,  building  a  small  mill  for  the 
manufacture  of  bar  and  railroad  iron.  In  this  was  found 
the  beginning  of  the  great  Cleveland  Rolling  Mill  Com- 
pany, which  only  a  few  years  ago  was  described  as  em- 
ploying five  thousand  hands,  consuming  annually  four 
hundred  thousand  tons  of  coke  and  coal,  and  turning  out 
one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  tons  of  finished  product, 
annually.  To  Mr.  Chisholm,  more  than  to  any  other  one 
man,  was  due  the  magnificent  success  of  this  great  enter- 
prise, and  its  direct  beneficial  effect  upon  the  growth 
and  prosperity  of  Cleveland.  "  He  was  among  the  early 
ones,"  says  one  appreciative  student^  of  his  career,  "to 
see  that  steel  rails  would  entirely  take  the  place  of  iron, 
and  one  of  the  first  to  make  a  commercial  success  of  the 
Bessemer  process  in  this  country.  But  where  his  signal 
ability  most  completely  displayed  itself  was  in  recogniz- 
ing the  fact  that,  for  the  highest  prosperity,  a  steel  mill 
should  have  more  than  'one  string  to  its  bow,'  and  that  to 
run  in  all  times,  and  under  all  circumstances,  Bessemer 
steel  must  be  adapted  to  other  uses  than  the  making  of 
rails.  Holding  tenaciouslv  to  this  idea,  he  was  the  first 
to  branch  out  into  the  manufacture  of  wire,  screws,  agri- 
cultural and  merchant  shapes,  from  steel.      To  the  prog- 

'^  "  The  Coal  and  Iron   Industry  of  Cleveland,"  by  James   F.  Rhodes, — 
"  Magazine  of  Western  History,"  Vol.  II.,  p.  343. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  371 

ress  in  this  direction  must  be  imputed  a  large  share  of  the 
success  of  his  company,  and  it  further  entitles  Mr.  Chis- 
holm  to  be  regarded  as  one  of  the   greatest,  if  not  the 
greatest   man,  who   has  been   engaged   in   the    Bessemer 
steel  manufacture  in  this  country.      It  is  rare,  indeed,  that' 
mechanical  skill  and  business  ability  are  united  in  one  and' 
the  same  individual,  and  it  was  to  this  exceptional  combi-. 
nation  of  talents  that  Mr.  Chisholm  owed  his  more  than 
splendid  success.     A  Scotchman  by  birth  and  nature,  and 
loving  the  poems  of  his  nation's  bard  with  an  ardor  that 
only  a  Scot  can  feel,  he  became  as  thorough  an  American 
citizen  as  if  he  had  drawn  his  inspiration  from  Plymouth 
Rock,  and  he  performed  his  civic  duties  with   an  ever- 
serene  confidence  in  the  merit  of  our  institutions." 

While  the  manufacture  of  iron  in  Cleveland  could  have 
been  carried  on  to  a  limited  extent,  through  use  of  the 
ores  near  at  home,  it  was  the  opening  of  the  Lake  Supe- 
rior iron  regions  that  made  the  magnificent  results  of  to- 
day a  possibility.  There  are  some,  perhaps,  who  do  not 
realize  how  Cleveland  capital  and  Cleveland  brains  as- 
sisted in  the  development  of  that  region,  and,  therefore,  a 
presentation  of  the  facts  that  follow  seems  a  matter  of 
necessity. 

It  was  in  1846  that  Cleveland  parties  appeared  on  the 
scene  and  opened  the  way  for  the  immense  business  that 
has  grown  up  between  that  region  and  this  city.  Dr.  J. 
Lang  Cassels,  of  Cleveland,  visited  Lake  Superior  in 
1846,  and  took  "squatter's  possession,"  in  the  name  of  the 
Dead  River  Silver  &  Copper  Mining  Company  of  Cleve- 
land— an  enterprise  in  which  were  many  of  the  men  after- 
wards found  in  the  Cleveland  Iron  Company.  He  was 
guided  to  the  desired  location  by  an  Indian,  and  made  the 
journey  thereto  and  return,  from  the  nearest  settled  point, 
in  a  birch  bark  canoe.  In  the  following  year,  he  left  that 
country  and  returned  to  Cleveland,  where  he  made  a  mild 
prophecy  as  to  the  mineral  wealth  of  the  Superior  region, 
which  was  received  wnth  general  incredulity. 

The   Cleveland  Iron  Company  was  formed  in  1849,  but 


372 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


did  little  business  in  the  Superior  country  until  1853.  Its 
first  organization  was  under  a  special  Michigan  charter, 
but  on  March  29,  1853,  it  filed  articles  of  association,  un- 
der the  name  of  the  Cleveland  Iron  ]Mining  Company, 
with  a  capital  stock  of  five  hundred  thousand  dollars. 
The  incorporators  were  John  Outhwaite,  Morgan  L.  Hew- 
itt, Selah  Chamberlain,  Samuel  L.  Mather,  Isaac  L. 
Hewitt,  Henry  F.  Brayton  and  E.  ]M.  Clark.  The  office 
was  located  at  Cleveland,  and  some  of  the  lands  of  which 
it  became  possessed  now  comprise  the  principal  part  of 
the  City  of  Marquette.  In  1854,  the  Cleveland  Company 
\_ mined  four  thousand  tons  of  ore,  which  was  made  into 


NEW    ENGLAND    HOTEL,     1854. 

"blooms  at  the  different  forges  in  the  vicinity,  and  sent  to 
the  lower  lake  points,  some  of  it  coming  to  this  city. 

This  company,  from  the  day  of  its  origin,  was  looked 
upon  as  one  of  the  most  solid  and  important  of  the  com- 
mercial concerns  of  Cleveland.      It   had  much  to  do  with 

X'Creating  and  fostering  the  iron  interests  of  Ohio  and 
Western  Pennsylvania.  Its  first  cargo  of  ore  to  this  point 
•was  brought  in  1856,  and  sold  in  smalllots  to  such  parties 
.as  were  willing  to  give  it  an  experimental  trial. 

It  should  also  be  said,  in  this  connection,  that  the  first 
ore  from  that   section  was  shipped  toXleveland,  in  1852, 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  373 

by  the  Marquette  Iron  Company,  in  a  half-dozen  barrels, 
aboard  the  ship  "  Baltimore."  The  low  estimation  in 
which  this  ore  was  held  by  this  business  community  dur- 
ing the  experimental  stages  is  illustrated  by  the  following 
incident,  related  by  George  H.  Ely.  He  was  living  in 
Rochester,  New  York,  where  he  held  the  position  of  pres- 
ident of  the  Lake  Superior  Iron  Company.  A  small  cargp 
of  ore  had  been  shipped  to  a  Cleveland  party,  who  was 
unable  to  pay  the  freight,  and  so  little  commercial  value 
was  attached  to  the  iron  that  the  whole  cargo  was  not 
considered  sufficient  security  for  the  freight  charges,  and 
Mr.  Ely  was  drawn  on  before  they  could  be  paid. 

It  is  almost  impossible  to  touch  upon  the  iron  industry 
of  Cleveland  without  referring,  also,  to  those  great  re- 
sources in  the  way  of  cheap  fuel,  that  have  made  the 
economical  manufacture  of  iron  at  this  point  a  possibility. 
It  has  been  already  noted  how  the  first  load  of  coal  was 
hauled  about  the  streets  of  Cleveland,  with  no  buyers. 
Little  progress  in  its  introduction  as  a  popular  fuel,  for 
either  house  or  factory,  was  made  for  several  years  suc- 
ceeding that  early  attempt.  In  1845,  the  Brierhill  mine 
.  was  opened,  near  Youngstown,  Ohio,  by  David  Tod, 
Daniel  P.  Rhodes,  of  Cleveland,  and  a  Mr.  Ford.  In  the 
beginning,  they  had  an  output  of  some  fifty  tons  per  week, 
and  the  main  market  was  found  among  the  steamers  then 
doing  a  large  passenger  and  freight  business  upon  Lake 
Erie.  The  coal  was  brought  to  Cleveland  by  canal  until 
1856,  when  the  completion  of  the  Cleveland  &  Mahoning 
Railroad  expedited  its  transportation,  and  gave  the  trade 
a  great  impetus.  The  completion  of  the  Cleveland  & 
Pittsburg  Railroad  opened  the  coal  fields  of  Columbiana 
County  to  a  market,  while  the  products  of  the  great  Mas- 
sillon  mines  became  available  in  i860.  The  rapid  increase 
of  the  business  may  be  judged  froin  the  following  fig- 
ures: In  1865,  Cleveland's  receipts  of  coal  were  465,550 
tons;   in  1884,  i»83i,ii2  tons. 


CHAPTER   XV. 

EXPANSION     AND     GROWTH. 

The  financial  panic  of  1857  had  a  serious  effect,  to  a  cer- 
tain degree,  upon  the  prosperity  of  Cleveland,  but  was 
followed  by  no  such  disastrous  general  wreckage  as  that 
of  1837.  Happily,  there  were  no  failures  among  the  Cleve- 
land banks,  the  principal  effect  being  a  temporary  stag- 
nation of  business,  and  the  refusal  of  most  people  to  make 
investments  during  the  unsettled  times.  The  recovery 
was  general,  and  by  i860  the  business  of  Cleveland  no 
longer  felt  the  disturbance. 

The  doctrine  of  secession,  in  a  local  way,  was  brought 
up  for  discussion  in  1858,  when  some  twenty-five  residents 
of  the  eastern  part  of  the  city  attempted  to  have  that  ter- 
ritory detached  from  incorporated  Cleveland  and  attached 
to  the  towmship  of  East  Cleveland.  A  petition  was  sent 
to  the  State  Legislature,  asking  for  this  change.  This  was 
met  by  a  remonstrance,  which  declared  that  the  "proposed 
dismemberment"  was  not  desired  by  a  majority  of  the 
people  affected  by  it,  and  that  the  names  attached  to  the 
petition  did  not  "  represent  men  of  wealth  and  posses- 
sions."    The  measure  failed  of  success. 

The  growth  of  Cleveland,  and  consequently  the  legal 
business  of  Cuyahoga  County,  had  for  some  time  fore- 
shadowed the  necessity  for  increased  courthouse  facilities, 
and  action  was  taken  in  the  period  now  under  considera- 
tion. It  was  decided  to  clear  the  Public  Square  perma- 
nently of  official  buildings,  and  accordingly  a  new  struct- 
ure and  a  new  site  Avere  agreed  upon.  This  latter  was 
situated  just  north  of  the  northwest  corner  of  the  Public 
Square,  on  the  north  side  of  Rockwell  street.  On  No- 
vember 10,  1857,  the  County  Commissioners  contracted 
with  George  P.  Smith  and  James  Pannell  to  erect  a  sub- 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


375 


stantial  stone  edifice,  three  stories  high,  at  a  cost  of 
$152,500.  This  building,  now  called  "the  old  conrt- 
hotise,"  filled  all  the  requirements  of  county  business  un- 
til 1875,  when  increasing  demand  for  more  room  was  an- 
swered by  the  erection  of  a  large  and  imposing  addition. 
Ground  was  purchased  on  Seneca  vStreet,  running  back 
to  the  old  building,  and  a  contract  let  for  a  new  court- 
house, at  a  cost  of  $250,000.      It  was  nearly  square,  run- 


THE    PROPOSED    NEW    COURTHOUSE. 


ning  seventy  feet  in  each  direction,  with  rooms  for  vari- 
ous officials  and  the  courts  in  the  Seneca  front,  and  a 
jail  in  the  rear.  A  still  further  increase  of  facilities  was 
made  i-n  1884,  when  two  stories  were  added  to  the  old 
building,  at  a  cost  of  nearly  $100,000. 

The  Cleveland  schools  also,  by  1859,  ^^^  outgrown  the 
methods  of  management  described  in  a  previous  chapter, 
and  in  the  year  named  the  old  order  gave  way  to  the  new. 


37(> 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


By  special  enactment  of  the  Legislature,  the  election  of 
members  of  a  Board  of  Education  was  for  the  first  time 
placed  in  the  hands  of  the  people,  one  member  being 
elected  from  each  ward,  one-half  of  the  wards  electing 
annually.  Although  the  Board  of  Education  now  held 
the  same  relation  to  the  people  that  was  held  by  the  City 
Council,  the  former  was  subject  to  the  latter,  in  several 
respects.     The  Council  was  still  required  to  "provide  and 

support  such  number 
and  grade  of  schools 
as  may  be  necessary 
to  furnish  a  good  com- 
mon school  education 
to  all  the  children," 
and  to  support  two 
hiofh  schools.  The 
Board  was  required 
to  certify  to  the  Coun- 
cil an  estimate  of  the 
amount  necessary  to 
be  raised  for  school 
purposes,  but  the  Council  might,  at  pleasure,  levy  a  tax 
for  an  amount  greater  or  less  than  the  arhount  thus  es- 
timated, provided  it  did  not  exceed  the  limit  fixed  in  the 
general  law  of  the  State. 

The  Board  of  Education  had  the  management  and  con- 
trol of  the  schools,  employed  and  dismissed  teachers, 
fixed  their  compensation,  and  furnished  all  necessary  sup- 
plies and  apparatus ;  but  could  not  expend  more  than  fifty 
dollars  for  school  furniture  or  repairs  for  any  one  school  or 
school  building,  without  first  obtaining  the  consent  of  the 
Council.  In  like  manner,  the  approval  of  the  city  legisla- 
ture was  required,  in  fixing  the  boundaries  of  school  dis- 
tricts. 

In  April,  1868,  another  act  was  passed  "to  provide  for 
the  support  and  regulation  of  the  public  schools  of  Cleve- 
land," by  which  all  restraints  of  the  Board  of  Education 
on  the   part   of  the   City  Council  were  removed,  saving 


KENTUCKY    STREET    SCHOOL   BUILDING,     1S50. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  377 

one  —  whenever  additional  school  room  was  needed,  it  be- 
came necessary  for  the  Board  to  recommend  to  the  Coun- 
cil the  "purchase  of  proper  sites,  and  the  erection  of  suit- 
able school  houses  thereon,"  and  the  Council  was  then 
required  to  act  on  such  recommendation,  without  delay, 
and,  in  case  of  approval,  to  "provide  in  such  manner  as 
shall  seem  most  expedient  such  sums  of  money  as  may  be 
necessary  to  carry  the  same  into  effect."  This  change  in 
legal  power  gave  the  Board  complete  control  of  the 
schools,  with  the  right  to  levy  taxes  withotit  restriction  of 
the  Council,  and  allowing  the  latter  power  only  in  the 
purchase  of  real  estate  and  the  erection  of  buildings. 

In  May,  1873,  a  general  law  was  passed  by  the  Legisla- 
ture, whereby  all  special  enactments  pertaining  to  the 
management  of  schools  in  towns,  cities  and  special  dis- 
tricts were  entirely  superseded.  This  gave  the  City 
Council  no  voice  whatever  in  school  affairs. 

The  members  of  the  first  Board  of  Education,  elected  by 
the  people,  were  as  follows:  Charles  Bradburn,  AUyne 
Maynard,  Charles  S.  Reese,  William  H.  Stanley,  Nathan 
P.  Payne,  W.  P.  P^ogg,  Lester  Hayes,  J.  A.  Thorne,  F. 
B.  Pratt,  Daniel  P.  Rhodes  and  George  R.  Vaughn. 

The  dawn  of  1 860  found  the  school  system  of  the  city  in 
a  shape  that  produced  good  results  for  the  present,  and 
offered  larger  rewards  for  the  future.  The  schools  on 
both  sides  of  the  river  had  been  consolidated,  a  board 
elected  by  the  people  was  in  control,  a  superintendent 
gave  his  whole  time  to  oversight,  a  high  school  was  in 
progress  upon  the  east  side  of  the  river,  and  another  on 
the  west  side.  During  the  War  of  the  Rebellion,  and  run- 
ning on  up  to  1865,  the  schools  kept  growth  apace  with 
the  rest  of  the  city,  but  during  that  period  little  was  done 
in  connection  with  them  which  is  of  general  historical  in- 
terest. 

The  incumbent  of  the  office  of  school  superintendent 
from  1863  to  1866  was  Anson  Smyth.  In  the  year  last 
named,  he  was  succeeded  by  Andrew  J.  Rickoff.  In  1867, 
when  East  Cleveland  was  annexed,  its  schools  came  under 


37S 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


control  of  the  city.  In  1868,  supervising  principals  were 
appointed,  to  give  immediate  direction  to  the  teachers  in 
the  grammar  and  primary  departments.  Consequent  on 
this  change,  women  principals  were  placed  in  charge  of 
'the  various  school  buildings,  in  place  of  men,  as  had  been 
the  custom  at  an  earlier  date.  In  1870,  the  study  of  Ger- 
man was  introduced.     In  1874,  a  normal  school  was  estab- 


i^sx®^' 


THE    CENTRAL    HIGH    SCHOOL    BUILDIN<; 


lished,  for  the  instruction  of  those  who  desired  to  become 
teachers.  In  1877,  the  Board  of  Education  contracted  for 
the  erection  of  a  new  high  school  building  on  Willson 
avenue,  near  Cedar  avenue,  and,  when  completed,  it  was 
rightly  regarded  as  one  of  the  finest  structures  of  its  kind 
in  Ohio. 
y~~K  notable  and  suggestive  feature  of  1859  was  the  organ- 


<: 

D 
—J 


THE  HISTORY  OF   CLEVELAND.  jjg- 

ization  of  Cleveland's  first  street  railway  —  the  East 
Cleveland  Railway  Company  —  and  in  1 860  the  road  was 
opened  for  business,  between  Bank  street  and  Willson 
avenue.  On  the  6th  of  October  of  that  year,  the  president 
of  the  company,  Henry  S.  Stevens,  in  presence  of  a  num- 
ber of  gentlemen  associated  with  him  in  the  enterprise, 
broke  ground  at  the  eastern  terminus,  and  then  "  invited 
the  stockholders  and  patrons  present  to  meet  at  the  other 
end  of  the  route,  near  Water  street,  three  weeks  from 
that  day,  to  celebrate  the  completion  of  the  first  street 
railroad  in  Cleveland,  and  in  the  State."  In  1863,  an  ex- 
tension was  completed  through  to  East  Cleveland,  and 
five  years  later  the  branch  line  on  Ohio  and  Garden 
streets  was  set  in  operation.  The  Kinsman  Street  Rail- 
way Company,  with  a  line  running  from  Bank  street  out 
Kinsman  street  (now  Woodland  avenue),  was  also  or- 
ganized in  1859,  ^^"^  ^  portion  of  the  line  built.  The 
West  Side  Railway  Company  came  into  being  in  1863,  and 
during  the  year  following,  a  route  was  opened  over  De- 
troit street.  The  Superior  &  St.  Clair  vStreet  Railway 
Company  was  organized  in  1867,  the  Rocky  River  Rail- 
road Company  in  1868,  the  Broadway  &  Newburgh  Rail- 
way Company  in  1873,  f^ie  South  Side  Railway  Company 
in  1874,  the  Woodland  Hills  Avenue  Railroad  in  1874, 
and  the  Superior  Street  Railway  Company  in  1875. 
Among  these  pioneer  organizations  in  the  street  railway 
system  of  Cleveland  were  several  that  had  a  great  influ- 
ence in  developing  Cleveland,  and  in  placing  her  business 
and  manufacturing  districts  in  touch  with  the  residence 
portions.  To  these  lines,  more  than  to  anything  else,  per- 
haps, is  due  the  fact  that  Cleveland  is  a  city  of  homes,  and 
that  somewhere  within  reach  of  daily  business  or  employ- 
ment can  be  found  a  location  for  home-owning  and  home- 
building  that  is  not  beyond  the  financial  means  of  the 
most  humble  laborer.  A  city  in  which  the  great  majority 
^are  their  own  landlords,  is  built  upon  a  rock  of  stability 
that  nothing  can  shake. 

Carrying  this  record  down  to  the  present  day,  we  find 


38o  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND,. 

that  the  street  railway  system  of  Cleveland  received  a 
great  impetus  in  1879,  ^^'hen  Tom  L.  Johnson  came  to  the 
city.  At  that  time,  the  Brooklyn  Street  Railway,  always 
an  unfortunate  property,  was  in  sore  straits.  Mr.  John- 
son bought  it  for  a  song,  and  at  once  infused  live  business 
methods  into  its  management.  He  gave  it  a  double 
track  on  Pearl  street,  obtained  the  right,  a  little  later,  to 
bring  it  across  the  A^iaduct  to  the  Public  Square,  and 
finally,  in  1883,  extended  it  by  way  of  Scovill  avenue  to 
Woodland  Cemetery.  He  also  gave  it  branches  on  both 
sides  of  the  river  —  one  on  Clark  avenue,  from  Pearl 
street  to  the  C.  C.  C.  &  I.  Railroad  tracks,  the  other  on 
Willson  avenue,  from  Scovill  avenue  to  Beyerle  Park,  in 
NcAvburg.  Transfers  were  given  when  desired,  and  the 
fare  for  the  entire  trip  was  reduced  to  five  cents.  In 
1885,  Mr.  Johnson  bought  the  South  Side  Railway,  and, 
modernizing  its  equipment  and  service,  made  it  a  part  of 
his  system.  It  had  been  operated  with  cars  of  a  primitive 
make.  When  the  Central  Viaduct  was  completed,  the 
route  of  the  South  Side  line  was  changed,  and  the  hilly 
road  on  Jennings  avenue  and  Seneca  street  abandoned. 
In  1889  and  1890,  the  present  Scranton  avenue  line,  run- 
ning from  Superior  street  through  Seneca  street  and 
Scranton  avenue  to  Clark  avenue,  was  built. 

These  aggressive  tactics  naturally  stirred  the  rival 
roads  to  action,  and  their  managers  met  the  Johnson  im- 
provements promptly.  In  1875,  the  East  Cleveland  Rail- 
road Company  had  experimented  with  the  Knight- Bent- 
ley  system,  one  that  employed  a  conduit,  on  its  Garden 
street  line,  east  of  Willson  avenue,  but  with  no  success. 
No  further  attempt  to  use  electricity  was  made  until  1888, 
when  the  same  company  adopted  the  trolley  system  on  its 
Euclid  avenue  line,  east  of  Willson  avenue.  Later  in  the 
year,  the  line  was  electrically  equipped  to  the  Square,  and 
its  adoption  on  all  the  lines  of  the  company  soon  followed. 
The  Brooklyn  Street  Railroad  Company  adopted  electric- 
ity as  its  motive  power  in  June,  1888,  and  the  Broadway 
&  Newburgh  Street  Railway  Company  followed  suit,  in 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  381 

a  few  months.  The  expense  of  changing  the  motive 
power  of  .the  various  roads  to  electricity  was  very  great, 
because  it  rendered  useless  their  old  rolling  stock,  and  de- 
m.anded  heavier  and  more  expensive  rails.  According  to 
the  coinpanies,  the  expenses  of  operating  were  decidedly 
increased,  but  they  admitted  a  profit  from  the  augmented 
traffic  attendant  upon  the  improved  cars  and  service. 

The  Superior  Street  Railroad,  which  was  first  operated 
in  Septeiuber,  1874,  was  extended,  in  1885,  along  Payne 
avenue,  from  its  intersection  at  Superior  street  to  Russell 
avenue,  by  way  of  Willson  and  Lexington  avenues.  The 
next  year  it  was  extended  along  Hough  avenue,  to  Wade 
Park,  its  present  eastern  terminus.  In  1889,  the  Superior 
and  the  Payne  lines,  previously  operated  by  horse-power, 
were  converted  into  cable  roads,  at  an  enormous  expense, 
the  time  occupied  in  the  operation  being  two  years.  At 
this  time,  the  Cleveland  City  Cable  Railway  Company 
was  organized.  It  purchased  the  Superior  and  Payne 
lines,  also  the  St.  Clair  Street  Railway.  This  last  was 
equipped  with  electricitv,  and  extended  out  vSt.  Clair 
street  to  Glenville,  taking  the  place  of  the  old  Glenville 
road. 

In  1885,  the  old  Kinsman  Street  Railroad,  then  known 
as  the  Woodland  Avenue  Railroad,  and  owned  chiefly  by 
Stillman  Witt  and  D.  P.  Eells,  was  consolidated  with  the 
West  vSide  Railroad  Company,  and  the  combined  line  was 
known  as  the  Woodland  x\venue  &  West  Side  vStreet  Rail- 
road Company.  No  change  of  pavSsengers  was  made  at 
the  Square, —  cars  ran  the  entire  length  of  the  line.  In 
1893,  having  seen  the  benefit  of  consolidation,  proposals 
were  made  by  this  company  to  the  Cleveland  City  Cable 
Railway  Company,  looking  to  a  combination  of  the  two 
properties.  The  bargain  was  completed  in  June,  1893, 
and  the  new  company  named  the  Cleveland  City  Railway 
Company. 

In  April  of  the  same  year,  1893,  the  Cleveland  Electric 
Railway  Company  was  organized,  by  the  consolidation  of 
the  East  Cleveland  Street  Railroad  Company,  the  Broad- 


382  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


way  &  Newbtirg  Street  Railroad  Company,  the  Brooklyn 
Street  Railroad  Company,  and  the  South  vSide  Street  Rail- 
road Company.  The  East  Cleveland  vStreet  Railroad 
Company,  it  may  be  stated,  then  consisted  of  four  lines, 
the  Euclid  avenue,  the  Central  avenue,  the  Cedar  avenue 
(built  in  1882),  and  the  Wade  Park  (built  in  1889).  These 
consolidations  placed  the  .street  railway  traffic  of  the  city 
in  the  hands  of  but  two  companies.  They  operate  about 
one  hundred  miles  of  double  tracks,  embraced  in  twenty- 
three  different  lines.  Of  these,  the  Cleveland  City  Electric 
Railway  Company  operate  seventeen  lines ;  the  remaining 
six  are  the  property  of  the  Cleveland  City  Railway  Com- 
pany. 

An  event  which  caused  great  excitement  in  Cleveland, 
in  1859,  was  the  trial  of  the  Oberlin-Wellington  rescue 
cases,  in  the  United  States  Court,  in  this  city.  The 
trouble  had  occurred  in  the  places  named,  but,  as  the 
whole  matter  was  transferred  bodily  here,  at  a  time  when 
feeling  on  the  slavery  question  was  running  at  its  high- 
est, some  reference  thereto  seems  not  only  proper,  but 
necessary.  In  1856,  a  number  of  slaves  held  by  John  G. 
Bacon,  of  Kentucky,  escaped,  and  started  for  the  North. 
Among  them  was  one  named  John,  and,  in  1858,  word 
reached  Bacon  that  the  runaway  could  be  found  near 
Oberlin,  which  was  then  the  center  of  Ohio  Abolitionism. 
An  agent,  named  Anderson  Jennings,  was  sent  to  Oberlin, 
to  claim  and  carry  back  the  fugitive.  He  succeeded  in 
making  the  capture,  and  started  south  with  his  man,  but 
at  Wellington,  on  vSeptember  15th,  was  surrounded  by  a 
mob  of  perhaps  a  thousand  men,  who  rescued  the  slave, 
and  sent  him  on  the  way  to  certain  liberty.  An  appeal 
was  made  to  the  United  States  courts,  and  in  December, 
1858,  indictments  were  returned  against  twenty-seven  of 
the  leading  residents  of  that  section  of  Ohio. 

They  were  brought  to  Cleveland,  and  on  April  5,  1859, 
one  of  their  number,  Simeon  Bushnell,  was  put  on  trial. 
Intense  excitement  was  caused,  not  only  in  this  city,  but 
^11  through   Northern  Ohio,  while  the  proceedings  were 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  383 

watched  from  all  parts  of  the  country.  Judge  H.  V. 
Willson  occupied  the  bench,  and  George  W.  Belden  was 
the  district  attorney.  George  Bliss  assisted  in  the  prose- 
cution, while  the  defense  was  represented  by  a  remarka- 
bly strong  array  of  talent —  R.  P.  Spalding,  F.  T.  Backus, 
A.  G.  Riddle  and  S.  O.  Griswold.  The  offense  charged 
was  "  rescuing  a  fugitive  from  service,"  and  evidence  of 
the  clearest  character  was  shown  to  prove  the  guilt  of  the 
accused,  under  the  laws  then  existing.  The  trial  lasted 
ten  days,  a  verdict  of  guilty  was  rendered,  and  the  sen- 
tence was  a  fine  of  six  hundred  dollars,  with  sixty  days' 
imprisonment  in  the  county  jail.  The  other  cases  were 
disposed  of  with  fines  and  imprisonment  for  some,  and  dis- 
missal in  the  case  of  others.  The  indignation  of  the  pub- 
lic was  ofreat  asfainst  the  laws  that  made  such  convictions 
possible,  and  the  trials  greatly  increased  the  feeling 
aofainst  slaverv  in  this  communitv.'' 

The  chief  event  of  local  interest  connected  with  i860 
was  the  erection  and  dedication  of  the  monument  to  Com- 
modore Oliver  Hazard  Perry,  in  commemoration  of  his 
decisive  victory  in  the  battle  of  Lake  Erie.'  The  idea  of 
this  grateful  tribute  originated  with  Harvey  Rice,  then  a 
member  of  the  City  Council,  who,  in  June,  1857,  intro- 
duced in  that  body  resolutions  in  relation  to  the  subject. 
A  select  committee  of  five  were  empowered  to  contract 
for  the  erection  of  a  monument  to  Perry,  ' '  in  commemora- 
tion of  his  heroic  services,  in  achieving  the  victory  on 
Lake  Erie,  in  the  year  18 13."  To  meet  the  expenses,  the 
committee  were  authorized  to  solicit  subscriptions  from 

^  The  complete  history  of  these  cases  has  been  published  in  a  volume  long 
out  of  print,  entitled:  "History  of  the  Oberlin-Wellington  Rescue," 
compiled  by  Jacob  R.  Shipherd,  with  an  introduction  by  Henry  E.  Peck 
and  Ralph  Plumb.  Boston,  1S59.  Information  of  value  may  also  be  found 
in  "The  Underground  Railroad,"  by  James  H.  Fairchild,  ex-president  of 
Oberlin  College. — Western  Reserve  Historical  Society's  Collections,  Vol. 
IV.,  Tract  No.  87,  p.  112. 

''  A  full  account  of  this  event  may  be  found  in  a  publication  ordered  by 
the  City  Council,  entitled:  "  Inauguration  of  the  Perry  Statue,  at  Cleve- 
land, on  the  loth  of  September,  1S60;  including  the  Addresses,  and  other 
Proceedings."     Cleveland,  1861. 


384 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


the  citizens.  The  resolutions  were  unanimously  adopted, 
and  the  following  gentlemen  were  named  as  that  commit- 
tee: Harvey  Rice,  O.  M.  Oviatt,  J.  M.  Coffinberry,  J. 
Kirkpatrick  and  C.  D.  Williams. 

On  the  14th  of  October,  the  committee  contracted  with 
T.  Jones  &  vSons,  of  Cleveland,  to  erect  the  monument. 
They  agreed  to  do  the  work  for  six  thousand  dollars  (in- 
creased somewhat  thereafter),  for  the  pavment  of  which 

they  were  willing  to 
rely  on  the  voluntary 
subscriptions  of  the 
citizens  of  Cleveland, 
' '  taking  the  risk  of  ob- 
taining the  required 
amount  on  them- 
selves." *^ 

Arrangements  were 
made  with  William 
Walcutt,  to  design 
and  model  the  statue. 
The  marble  was 
shipped  from  Italy, 
and  the  work  done  in 
Cleveland.  The  ped- 
estal was  constructed 
of  Rhode  Island  gran- 
ite, twelve  feet  high, 
while  the  figure  was 
to  be  eight  feet  and 
two  inches  high,  so  as 
to  appear  life-size  to 
the  eye,  when  placed  upon  the  pedestal,  making  the  en- 
tire height  of  the  monument,  including  the  base,  twentv- 
five  feet. 

The  day  set  for  the  unveiling  and  public  inauguration, 

**  Five  thousand  dollars  were  raised  by  public  subscription,  and  the  sum  of 
three  thousand  and  eight  dollars  appropriated  by  the  City  Council,  from 
the  city  treasury,  to  make  up  the  deficiency. 


THE    TERRY    MONl'MENT. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  ?S< 


J<^j> 


was  September  lo,  i860,  the  forty-seventh  anniversary  of 
Perry's  victory.  Formal  invitations  were  extended,  on  be- 
half of  the  city,  to  the  governor  and  other  State  officials  of 
Rhode  Island  —  where  Perry  was  born,  and  whose  soil 
contained  his  remains, —  to  be  present  and  assist  in  the 
exercises.  The  Governor  of  Ohio,  and  other  distinguished 
gentlemen,  were  also  invited.  It  was  ordered  by  the  City 
Council  that  the  statue  should  be  placed  in  the  center  of 
the  Public  Square,  at  the  intersection  of  Ontario  and  Su- 
perior streets. 

Governor  Sprague,  and  the  other  officials  of  Rhode 
Island,  arrived  in  the  city  on  September  8th,  and  were  es- 
corted to  the  Angle  r  House  by  the  Cleveland  Grays  and 
Light  Guard,  and  also  the  Wayne  Guards,  of  Erie,  Pa. 
A  speech  of  welcome  was  made  by  William  Dennison, 
Governor  of  Ohio,  and  was  responded  to  by  Governor 
Sprague. 

The  loth  was  ushered  in  bv  the  rinofingf  of  bells,  the 
firing  of  cannon,  and  other  demonstrations  of  public  joy. 
Streams  of  visitors,  to  the  number  of  one  hundred  thou- 
sand, poured  in  from  all  directions.  A  procession  of  im- 
posing length  and  character  was  formed,  and  reached  the 
Public  Square  at  one  in  the  afternoon.  "A  large  area"  — 
I  quote  from  the  record  above  referred  to  —  "had  been 
roped  off,  in  the  center  of  which  was  the  statue,  on  a 
green  mound,  enclosed  by  an  iron  railing.  To  the  west 
of  the  statue  was  placed  a  large  platforin,  capable  of  hold- 
ing several  hundred  persons.  This  was  appropriated  to 
the  invited  guests.  A  smaller  raised  platform,  in  front, 
was  for  the  speakers,  and  survivors  of  the  battle.  Imme- 
diately  in  front  was  a  lower  platform,  excellently  arranged, 
for  the  convenience  of  reporters.  The  statue  was  veiled 
with  the  American  flag. ' ' 

The  exercises  were  opened  with  prayer,  by  Rev.  Dr. 
Perry,  one  of  the  relatives  of  the  Commodore,  The  sculp- 
tor, Mr.  Walcutt,  then  entered  the  enclosure  and  removed 
the  flag,  amid  the  cheers  of  the  assembled  thousands.  He 
followed  with  brief  remarks,  and  the  speech  of  presenta- 


j86  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

tion  to  the  city  was  then  made  by  Harvey  Rice,  chairman 
of  the  monument  committee,  who  was  responded  to  by 
Mayor  Senter. 

Hon.  George  Bancroft,  orator  of  the  day,  was  next  in- 
troduced, and  spoke  with  that  rare  eloquence  and  patri- 
otic thought  that  characterized  all  his  public  efforts.  A' 
series  of  reminiscences  were  given  by  Dr.  Usher  Parsons, 
surgeon  of  Perry's  flag-ship  "LaAvrence,"  and  a  brief 
speech  was  made  by  Captain  Thomas  Brownell,  pilot  of 
the  "Ariel,"  which  took  part  in  the  same  battle.  Oliver 
Hazard  Perry,  the  only  surviving  son  of  the  Commodore, 
was  then  called  upon,  and  responded.  The  monument  was 
then  dedicated  by  the  Masons,  according  to  their  ritual, 
and  an  ode  sung  by  Ossian  E.  Dodge,  the  celebrated  vo- 
calist. 

A  mock  battle  on  the  lake,  in  which  the  main  events  of 
the  great  struggle  of  1813  were  reproduced,  succeeded  the 
inauguration  ceremonies,  while  a  Masonic  banquet,  at  the 
Weddell  House,  was  given  in  the  evening.  A  reception 
by  the  governors  of  Ohio  and  Rhode  Island,  and  a  farewell 
dinner,  were  among  the  later  features  of  one  of  the  great- 
est, most  patriotic  and  successful  events  of  a  public  char- 
acter that  has  been  anywhere  recorded  in  the  long  and 
eventful  history  of  Cleveland. 

-  Things  of  tremendous  moment  followed  swiftly  upon 

this  patriotic  endeavor  to  do  honor  to  a  hero  of  a  war  that 
meant  so  much  for  the  preservation  of  the  American  na- 
tion ;  and  the  people  who  listened  to  the  stirring  speeches 
of  this  day  of  celebration,  were  soon  put  to  a  supreme  test 
of  patriotic  devotion,  to  a  cause  as  great  as  that  for  which 
Perrv  fought. 

The  great  political  contest  of  i860,  the  election  of  Lin- 
coln, and  the  signs  of  trouble  that  overcast  all  the  horizon 
to  the  southward,  belong  to  the  history  of  our  country,  and 
■cannot  be  related  here.  There  was  no  section  of  the 
whole  great,  willing,  patriotic  and  enthusiastic  North  that 
responded  to  the  call  of  the  Union  for  defense  and  support 
more  readily  and  willingly  than  Cleveland,  and  that  por- 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  387 

tion  of  the  West  of  which  it  is  the  metropolis.  This  was 
not  a  spasmodic  effort,  in  the  first  burst  of  enthusiasm,  but 
was  continuous  all  through  the  war. 

An  event  occurred  in  the  early  days  of  1861  that  served 
to  increase  the  popular  detestation  of  slavery,  and  the 
feeling  against  those  by  whom  it  was  supported.  This 
was  the  capture,  in  Cleveland,  of  a  runaway  slave-girl 
named  Lucy,  and  her  return  to  bondage,  only  a  few  weeks 
before  the  guns  of  vSumter  sounded  the  knell  of  the  sys- 
tem of  which  she  was  a  victim. 

Early  on  the  morning  of  January  19,  1861,  a  posse  of 
United  States  officers,  under  the  leadership  of  Seth  A. 
Abbey,  a  deputy  United  States  marshal,  entered  by  force 
the  residence  of  L.  A.  Benton,  on  Prospect  street,  and  ar- 
rested this  young  mulatto  girl,  who  had  been  employed  as 
a  domestic,  and  who  was  claimed  by  William  S.  Goshorn, 
of  Wheeling,  Va.,  as  an  escaped  slave.  She  was  locked 
up  in  the  county  jail,  and  as  soon  as  news  of  the  arrest 
spread  throughout  the  city,  excitement  rose  to  a  white 
heat.  A  great  mob  gathered  about  the  jail,  threatening 
to  set  the  prisoner  at  liberty  by  force.  An  application  for 
a  writ  of  habeas  corpus  was  made  by  R.  P.  Spalding,  A.  G. 
Riddle  and  C.  W.  Palmer,  acting  in  behalf  of  the  girl. 

The  writ  was  passed  upon  by  Probate  Judge  Tilden,  on 
the  morning  of  January  21st.  He  decided  that  the  sher- 
iff, an  officer  of  the  county,  had  no  right  to  hold  her,  and 
ordered  her  release.  She  was  taken  in  charge  by  the 
United  States  marshal,  who  was  compelled  to  swear  in  a 
hundred  and  fifty  specials,  to  assist  in  the  preservation  of 
the  peace.  The  girl,  with  difficulty,  was  taken  to  the 
United  States  building,  and  but  little  would  have  been 
necessary  to  precipitate  a  bloody  riot.  Her  case  was 
heard  before  United  States  Commissioner  White,  and  it 
was  shown  that,  under  the  United  States  laws  then  exist- 
ing, the  defense  had  no  shadow  of  a  case  —  all  that  her  able 
attorneys  could  do,  was  to  make  those  laws  and  their  exe- 
cution, odious  in  the  eyes  of  the  public.  She  was  awarded 
to  the  control  of  the  slave-holder.     An  attempt  was  made 


388 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


by  benevolent  persons  in  Cleveland  to  purchase  her  free- 
dom, but  the  owner,  although  offered  double  her  value  in 
the  market,  refused  to  sell  her,  and  persisted  in  carrying 
her  back  to  Virginia.  She  was  taken  to  the  train  by  an 
armed  guard,  and  her  owner  succeeded  in  getting  her 
safely  to  Wheeling.      It  is  said,  with  probable  truth,  that 

this  was  the  last  slave  ever 
returned  to  the  South,  un- 
der the  fugitive  slave  law.'-* 
The  excitement  attend- 
ing this  case,  had  hardly 
died  away  before  the  peo- 
ple were  aroused  to  new 
fervor  by  a  visit,  on  Febru- 
ary 15,  of  President-elect 
Lincoln,  who  was  en  route 
to  Washington,  to  be  inau- 
gurated to  the  office  of  Pres- 
ident. His  reception  was 
enthusiastic,  thirty  thou- 
sand and  more  people  turn- 
ing out  in  a  storm  to  meet 
him ;  a  great  procession  es- 
corted him  to  his  hotel, 
while  business  blocks  and 
residences  were  covered 
with  flags,  and  other  patriotic  insignia. 

When  the  call  for  aid  came  from  this  same  President, 


SOLDIERS 


MONTMENT    IN    WOODLAND 
CEMETERY. 


^  The  law-abiding  spirit  m  which  the  anti-slavery  people  of  Cleveland 
accepted  the  decision  of  the  law,  is  well  shown  in  the  remarks  made  by 
Judge  R.  P.  Spalding,  when  he  saw  that  the  surrender  of  the  girl  was  in- 
evitable. Said  he:  "I  am  constrained  to  say  that,  according  to  the  law 
of  slavery,  the  colored  girl  Lucy  does  owe  service  to  William  S.  Goshorn, 
of  Virginia.  Nothing  now  remains  that  may  impede  the  performance  of 
your  painful  duty,  sir,  unless  I  may  be  permitted  to  trespass  a  little  further 
upon  your  indulgence,  and  say  to  this  assemblage,  we  are  this  day  offering 
to  the  majesty  of  constitutional  law,  a  homage  that  takes  with  it  a  virtual 
surrender  of  the  finest  feelings  of  our  nature ;  the  vanquishing  of  many  of 
our  strictest  resolutions;  the  mortification  of  a  free  man's  pride,  and,  I  al- 
most said,  the  contraventions  of  a  Christian's  duty  to  his  God.     While  we 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  sSg 

some  weeks  later,  the  answer,  so  far  as  Cleveland  was 
concerned,  was  immediate  and  effective.  A  mass  meet- 
ing was  called  in  Melodeon  Hall.  General  Jabez  Fitch, 
General  John  Crowell,  Hon.  R.  P.  Spalding,  and  Hon. 
D.  K.  Cartter  spoke.  Two  days  later,  the  Grays  departed, 
in  answer  to  the  President's  call  for  men.  Camp  Taylor 
was  established,  and  the  city  took  on  a  military  air.  On 
May  3rd,  a  conference  of  the  governors  of  Ohio,  Pennsylva- 
nia, Wisconsin,  Michigan  and  Indiana  was  held  at  the  An- 
ofier  House,  to  concert  measures  for  the  defense  of  their 
country.  On  the  6th  of  the  same  month,  the  Seventh  Regi- 
ment departed;  on  the  14th,  the  Lincoln  Guards  were  or- 
ganized; in  November,  the  Forty-first  Regiment  marched 
away  with  flying  colors.  The  Home  Guards  were  organ- 
ized; clerks,  merchants,  bankers,  laborers,  all  urged  by 
the  same  patriotic  impulse,  drilled  side  by  side,  that  they 
might  be  ready,  if  the  need  arose. 

To  write  a  history  of  the  soldiers,  the  companies,  the 
regiments,  that  Cleveland  sent  into  the  field,  would  more 
than  fill  a  volume  of  this  size.  To  tell  that  story  in  a  few 
pages,  Avould  be  unjust,  and  so  far  inadequate  that  it  were 
better  unattempted.  The  city  and  her  sons  covered  them- 
selves with  glory,  upon  nearly  every  field  where  our  flag 
was  carried ;  hundreds  of  them  gave  up  their  lives  in  their 
country's  defense;  many  names  that  Cleveland  will  long 
remember,  were  written  upon  the  tablet  of  fame.  The 
enduring  monument  that  has  been  erected,  in  the  very 
heart  of  our  city,  is  but  a  feeble  reminder  of  the  love  and 
gratitude  in  which  these  brave  sons  of  Cuyahoga  are 
held.  10 

do  this,  in  the  City  of  Cleveland,  in  the  Connecticut  Western  Reserve,  and 
permit  this  poor  piece  of  humanity  to  be  taken,  peaceably,  through  our 
streets,  and  upon  our  railways,  back  to  the  land  of  bondage,  will  not  the 
frantic  South  stay  its  parricidal  hand?  Will  not  our  compromising  Legisla- 
ture cry:    Hold,  enovigh!" 

10  That  "  roll  of  honor  "  has  been  at  last  recorded  in  an  enduring  form. 
Those  who  would  read  it  in  its  entirety,  are  referred  to  the  following  work 
for  detail:  "  History  of  the  Cuyahoga  County  Soldiers'  and  Sailors'  Mon- 
ument," by  William  J.  Gleason:  published  by  the  Monument  Commission, 


39° 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


Not  alone  by  the  sending  of  her  sons  to  the  front,  did 
Cleveland  show  her  patriotism.  In  many  ways,  those  at 
home  gave  of  their  labor  and  substance  to  carry  on  the 
good  work  for  the  Union.  The  women  of  Cleveland  were 
the  first  to  mkke  use  of  such  opportunities  as  presented 
themselves.  Five  days  after  the  call  for  troops,  on  April 
20th,  they  assembled  to  offer  their  services,  wherever  they 
could  be  used.  The  Ladies'  Aid  Society  was  organized. 
It  soon  became  the  head  and  front  for  work  of  this  char- 
acter, through  all  this  section,  and  was  known  as  the  Sol- 
diers' Aid  Societv  of  Northern  Ohio.  Subordinate  socie- 
ties  were  organized  in  all  directions.  By  the  ist  of  July, 
1862,  three  hundred  and  twenty-five  societies  had  been 


HOSI'ITAI,    CAMP,     CLEVFJ.AXn. 


organized  as  its  branches.  Contributions  poured  in  from 
all  directions,  and  a  steady  stream  was  sent  southward,  for 
the  help  and  comfort  of  the  soldiers  in  the  field.  In  Feb- 
ruary, 1864,  the  Northern  Ohio  Sanitary  Fair  was  organ- 
ized under  the  management  of  the  society.  An  immense 
.structure  was  built  on  the  Public  Square,  and  so  success- 
fully was  the  fair  managed  that  the  receipts  were  about 
one  hundred  thousand  dollars,  with  not  over  one-fourth  of 
that  sum  for  expenses.     The  work  was  carried  on  until 

Cleveland,  1894.  In  this  work,  INIajor  Gleason  has  most  patriotically  and 
ably  done  for  the  Cuyahoga  soldier  and  sailor  that  which  has  never  been 
done  before ;  that  no  one  need  attempt  again.  Most  of  the  regiments  rep- 
resented have  published  histories  of  their  own,  from  time  to  time,  which 
can  be  found  on  the  shelves  of  the  Western  Reserve  Historical  Society. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  sgi 

the  end  of  the  war,  with  a  vigor  and  patriotism  that  shed 
honor,  for  all  time,  upon  those  who  were  connected  there- 
with. The  city  naturally  felt  the  effects  of  the  war,  in 
common  with  all  the  country,  but  met  Avith  no  great  re- 
verse or  disaster  because  of  it.  ]Municipal  and  business 
affairs  were  carried  on  as  of  old. 

Attention  should  now  be  turned  to  various  matters  of 
general  interest.  The  discovery  of  oil  in  Western  Penn- 
sylvania attracted  the  attention  of  Cleveland  speculators 
and  capitalists,  and  before  long  a  number  of  small  re- 
fineries were  in  operation  in  this  city.  Among  them 
w^as  a  small  firm,  formed  in  1861,  by  John  D.  Rocke- 
feller and  Henry  M.  Flagler,  which  grew  by  push  and 
absorption  of  its  rivals  until  1870,  when  a  stock  company 
was  formed,  under  the  name  of  the  Standard  Oil  Com- 
pany, which  made  this  cit}'  its  headquarters,  and  before 
long  controlled  the  oil  trade  of  the  country. ^^ 

The  size  and  importance  of  the  city  now  demanded  that 
a  better  and  more  adequate  fire  department  must  be  fur- 
nished, as  the  old  volunteer  system  had  been  far  outgrown. 
It  was  decided  by  the  City  Council,  in  1863,  to  reorganize 

''  The  original  board  of  directors  of  this  now  might}^  corporation,  with 
a  capital  stock  of  $97,500,000,  was  composed  of  John  D.  Rockefeller,  Henry 
M.  Flagler,  Samuel  Andrews,  Stephen  V.  Harkness,  and  William  Rocke- 
feller. Its  capital  was  fixed  at  $1,000,000,  in  shares  of  one  hundred  dol- 
lars each.  Some  idea  of  the  extent  to  which  the  oil  interests  had  grown, 
even  as  earl\-  as  1S84,  may  be  gained  from  a  glance  at  the  Board  of  Trade 
report  for  that  year,  where  these  figures  may  be  found.  The  capital 
invested  in  the  manufacture  of  oil  in  Cleveland  was  $27,395,746.  There 
were  86  establishments,  employing  9,869  hands,  whose  aggregate  wages 
amounted  to  $4,381,572.  The  establishments  used  raw  material,  to  the 
value  of  $34,999,101.  The  cost  of  the  crude  petroleum,  which  amounted 
to  731,533,127  gallons,  was  $16,340,581;  while  $11,618,307  was  paid  out 
for  barrels,  $2,792,997  for  tin  cans,  $906,911  for  cases,  and  $645,412  for 
bungs,  paint,  glue,  etc.  The  balance  of  the  cost  on  account  of  ravN-  ma- 
terial, was  for  fuel  and  chemicals.  The  aggregate  value  of  the  products 
obtained  from  crude  petroleum  was  $43,705,218;  of  which  sum  illumina- 
ting oils  furnished  $36,839,613.  The  remaining  $6,865,605  was  divided 
among  other  products.  "  It  is  estimated, "  says  the  report,  "that  3,179,- 
263  barrels  of  crude  oil  were  refined  here  during  the  past  year,  75  per 
cent,  of  which  was  made  into  refined  oil,  15  per  cent,  into  gasoline, 
naphtha  and  kindred  products,  and  7  per  cent,  into  lubricating  oil,  paraf- 
fine,  etc.     The  other  three  per  cent,  was  the  loss  in  the  refining  process." 


392  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

the  department  and  place  it  upon  a  paid  basis.  The  first 
Council  Committee  on  Fire  and  Water  was  appointed  in 
January  of  that  year,  and  consisted  of  J.  D.  Palmer,  J.  J. 
Benton  and  William  Meyer.  During-  April,  an  ordinance 
was  passed,  creating  a  paid  steam  fire  department.  Mean- 
while, three  steamers  had  been  bought,  the  first  of  which 
had  been  placed  in  service  December  17,  1862  ;  two  others 
in  February,  1863,  while  a  fourth  was  purchased  in  June 
of  the  same  year.  The  chief  engineer  at  this  time  was 
James  A.  Craw.  The  steamers  were  honored  with  the  fol- 
lowing appellations:  No.  i,  I.  U.  Masters;  No.  2,  J.  J. 
Benton;  No.  3,  William  Meyer;  No.  4,  J.  D.  Palmer.  Ma- 
zeppa  Hook  and  Ladder  No.  i.  In  1864,  another  steamer 
(N.  P.  Payne)  was  added,  and  the  three  remaining  volun- 
teer companies  disbanded.  By  the  spring  of  1865,  the 
city  was  in  possession  of  five  fully-equipped  engine  com- 
panies, with  hose  reels  attached  to  each,  and  one  hook 
and  ladder  truck.  The  companies  were  located  as  fol- 
lows: No.  I,  Frankfort  street;  No.  2,  Champlain  street; 
No.  3,  Huntington  street;  No.  4,  Church  street;  No.  5, 
Phelps  street;  Hook  and  Ladder  with  No.  i,  on  Frank- 
fort street.  The  entire  force  nuiubered  fifty-three  men, 
one  chief  engineer,  five  captains,  five  engineers,  five  fire- 
men, eleven  drivers,  twenty-five  pipemen  and  one  tiller- 
man. 

Step  by  step  the  efiiciency  of  the  department  was  in- 
creased. Fire  hydrants  and  reservoirs  increased  in  num- 
ber. A  fire  alarm  telegraph  service  was  added  in  1864. 
Little  further  was  done  in  wav  of  fire  legislation  until 
1867,  when  the  City  Council  passed  an  ordinance  which 
created  the  ofiices  of  first  and  second  assistant  engineers. 
The  steamer  "James  Hill"  was  added  in  the  same  year, 
and  other  engines,  companies,  and  engine  houses  were 
created,  from  time  to  time,  as  the  growth  of  the  city  ren- 
dered necessary.  In  1872,  a  Protection  Company  was 
added  to  the  service,  with  four  men,  and  a  wagon  fully 
equipped  with  canvas  covers,  etc.,  to  be  used  for  the  pro- 
tection of  goods  and  household  furniture.      In  1864,  James 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  sgj 

Hill  became  chief  of  the  department ;  he  was  removed  in 
1874.  John  A.  Bennett,  first  assistant  chief,  was  then 
promoted  to  chief,  and  he,  in  turn,  was  succeeded  by- 
James  W.  Dickinson,  then  assistant,  in  1880.  In  1886, 
Cleveland's  first  fire-boat,  the  "Joseph  L.  Weatherly," 
was  built  and  placed  in  service  upon  the  river.  ^'' 

By  an  act  of  the  Legislature,  passed  on  April  29,  1873, 
the  management  of  the  department  passed  into  the  hands 
of  a  Board  of  Fire  Commissioners,  composed  of  five  mem- 
bers, to  hold  for  a  term  of  five  years.     This  was  amended 
in  March,  1874,    and   the   board   inade  to   consist   of  the 
m.ayor  of  the  city,  the  chairman  of  the  City  Council  Coin- 
mittee  on  Fire  and  Water,  and  three  citizens,  who  should 
be   nominated  by  the   mayor,   with   the   approval   of  the 
Council.     The  first  board  consisted  of  Charles  A.   Otis, 
mayor;  A.  T.  Van  Tassel,  chairman  of  the  Council  Com- 
mittee;  H.    D.   Coffinberry,  W.    H.    Hayward,  and  H.  W. 
Luetkemeyer.      Under  the  changes  made  in  the  form  of 
municipal  government  —  to  be  related  under  a  later  date  — 
the  management  of  the  department  passed  into  the  hands 
of  a  director  of  fire  service.      The  extent  to  which  the 
department  has  grown,   may  be  understood  from  the  fol- 
lowing figures,  taken  from  the  annual  report  of  the  de- 
partment, made  in  the  beginning  of  1895,  for  the  preced- 
ing year :  The  loss  from  fires  during  the  year  amounted 
to  $592,714.90,  which  was  over  one  million  less  than  in 
1892,   the  reduction  being  largely  due  to  the  increase  in 
the  number  of  engine  houses.     The  department  answered 
1,000  alarms.      New  buildings  had  been  erected  in  the 
city   to    the   number   of   2,622,    at    an   estimated   cost   of 
$4,171,690.      During  1894,  there   had   been  added  to  the 
service  three  new  hook  and  ladder  companies,  four  new 
engine  companies,  one  water  tower,  and  the  new  fire-boat 

1-  For  some  of  the  facts  in  the  above,  the  writer  is  under  obh'gations  to 
the  "  Fire  Service  of  Cleveland,"  published  in  i88g,  by  the  Firemen's  Re- 
lief Association.  The  detailed  history  of  most  of  the  fires  of  Cleveland, 
with  losses,  etc.,  is  there  ftu-nished,  with  much  other  valuable  information, 
for  which  room  can  hardly  be  found  in  this  work.  As  a  work  of  reference, 
it  is  of  no  small  value. 


394  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

"John  H.  Farley."  The  fire  boat  "J.  L.  Weatherly," 
heretofore  described,  had  been  replaced  by  a  new  boat, 
"  The  Clevelander. "  There  were  352  men  employed  by 
the  department  proper,  with  8  additional  serving  as  build- 
ing inspectors,  electrician,  etc.  The  apparatus  in  actual 
service  consisted  of  20  steam  fire  engines,  one  fire-boat, 
twenty-two  hose  wagons,  two  hose  carriages,  nine  hook 
and  ladder  trucks,  one  aerial  ladder,  one  water  tower, 
four  two-wheeled  chemical  engines,  seven  officers'  bug- 
gies, one  director's  buggy,  one  boiler  inspector's  two- 
wheeled  cart,  two  telegraph  wagons,  one  telegraph  pole 
truck,  eighteen  exercise  wagons,  and  three  delivery  Avag- 
ons.  These  figures  suggest  that  Cleveland  has,  indeed, 
traveled  a  long  distance,  in  the  way  of  fire  service  improve- 
ment, since  those  early  days  when  the  irate  taxpayers 
criticised  the  expenditure  of  a  few  hundred  dollars,  for 
the  purchase  of  one  little  hand-engine. 

Returning  once  more  to  the  general  narrative,  we  find 
the  spring  of  1865  bringing  to  Cleveland,  as  to  the  entire 
land,  a  great  joy  and  a  great  sorrow  —  the  triumphant  end 
of  the  war,  and  the  martyrdom  of  Abraham  Lincoln. 

The  wild  joy  over  the  victory  was  tempered  with  sor- 
row for  the  loss;  and  when  the  body  of  Lincoln,  on  its 
last  homeward  journey,  lay  in  state  in  the  city,  all  classes 
united  to  do  honor  to  his  memory,  and  the  whole  city 
draped  itself  in  mourning,  and  gave  no  thought  to  pleasure 
or  business,  until  the  sacred  form  had  been  carried  on  to 
its  last  resting  place. 

The  growing  importance  of  Cleveland,  as  a  manufactur- 
ing point  and  center  of  distribution,  was  emphasized  by 
the  Board  of  Trade,  in  1866,  in  the  publication,  for  the 
first  time,  of  anything  like  a  detailed  statement  of  the 
amount  of  business  done  here  in  any  one  year.  The  fig- 
ures here  given  for  1865  are  taken  from  that  work,^'^  and 
their  presentation  at  this  point  seems  especially  pertinent, 

'•'  "  Annual  Statement  of  the  Trade,  Commerce,  and  Manufactures  of 
the  City  of  Cleveland,  for  the  year  1865."  Reported  to  the  Board  of 
Trade,  by  J.  D.  Pickands.     Cleveland,  1866. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  jgj 

as  the  real  revival  after  the  war  had  just  coinmenced,  and 
Cleveland  was  placing  her  foot  on  that  ladder  of  success- 
ful manufacturing  that  has  carried  her  up  to  such  wonder- 
ful things. 

Taking  up  the  general  results,  as  presented  in  these  re- 
ports, we  find  that  the  amount  of  coal  shipped  to  this 
market  during  the  five  preceding  years  had  varied  from 
400,000  to  900,000  tons;  the  total  for  1865  was  465,550 
tons.  The  aggregate  value  of  the  iron  ore  trade  for  the 
year  was  Si ,  179,200.  Of  pig  iron  and  scrap,  there  were  sold 
and  used  here  about  23,000  tons,  of  a  value  of  $1,051,000. 
Of  pig  iron  controlled  and  sold  by  Cleveland  parties,  but 
not  coming  into  this  market,  the  amount  was  about  29,000, 
of  a  value  of  $1,450,000.  Of  manufactured  wrought  iron, 
the  aggregate  sales  of  railroad  iron,  bar,  plate,  hoop, 
sheet,  spikes,  nails,  etc.,  were  over  $6,000,000,  .of  which 
a  large  portion  was  manufactured  here.  There  were 
then,  in  or  near  the  city  (Newburg  had  not  been  annexed), 
two  blast  furnaces,  six  rolling  mills,  two  forges,  eight 
foundries,  three  spike,  nail,  rivet,  nut  and  washer  facto- 
ries, employing  three  thousand  hands,  and  with  an  aggre- 
gate capital  of  some  three  million  dollars.  Their  product 
for  1865  was  as  follows:  20,510  tons  railroad  iron,  7,925 
tons  merchant  iron,  2,250  tons  forgings,  705  tons  boiler 
and  tank  iron,  4,627  tons  nuts,  washers,  rivets,  nails, 
spikes  and  bolts;  8,500  tons  gas  and  water  pipe,  car 
wheels,  etc.  In  lumber,  total  feet  received,  84,038,160; 
shingles,  54,744,850;  lath,  14,153,000;  cedar  posts,  50,000. 
The  total  amount  of  business  in  the  hide  and  leather 
trade  for  the  year  reached  about  a  million  and  a  half  of 
dollars.  There  were  enofaofed  in  the  trade  five  wholesale 
hide  and  leather  dealers,  about  as  many  more  dealing  ex- 
clusively in  hides;  three  tanneries,  and  three  sheepskin 
factories.  There  were  some  thirty  established  refineries 
of  crude  petroleum,  with  an  aggregate  capital  of  over 
$1,500,000,  and  employing  over  three  hundred  workmen. 
Aggregate  capacity,  1,800  to  2,000  barrels  per  24  hours; 
total  value  of  petroleum  products,  not  less  than  $4,500,- 


396  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

ooo.  The  wholesale  drv-oroods  trade  was  set  down  "  in 
millions,"  but  no  figures  are  given.  Boot  and  shoe  sales, 
$1,250,000.  Manufactures  and  sale  of  clothing,  from  two 
and  a  half  to  three  million  dollars.  Cattle  packed,  25,300 
head;  hogs,  18,850.  Near  ten  million  pounds  of  wool 
were  received.  The  banking  interests  were  represented 
by  a  capital  of  over  $2,250,000,  with  an  average  circula- 
tion of  $1,750,000,  and  average  deposits  of  $3,700,000. 
Over  sixty  steam  engines  were  turned  out,  40  boilers, 
and  as  many  stills  for  oil.  The  general  value,  in  these 
and  allied  lines,  reached  a  half  million  dollars.  The 
machine  car  shops  used  up  stock  to  the  value  of  $700,000. 
The  manufacture  of  railroad  cars  reached  a  value  of  half 
a  million  dollars.  Stoves  to  the  number  of  18,000  were 
made.  Agricultural  implements  to  the  value  of  $350,000 
were  produced.  Wooden  ware,  value  of  stock,  $225,000; 
planing  mills,  $250,000;  200,000  barrels  made;  15,500,000 
shingles  made;  furniture,  $600,000;  carriage  making, 
$200,000;  musical  instruments,  $100,000;  1,500  tons  of 
refined  copper  were  produced  ;  lamps,  lanterns,  etc., 
inade,  $25,000  ;  paper,  $215,000  ;  woolens,  $350,000  ; 
marble  and  stone  works,  $400,000;  600  tons  of  white  lead 
made;  50,000  gallons  of  lard  oil  made;  547,000  pounds  of 
stearine  candles;  212,000  barrels  of  flour;  cigars,  a  prod- 
uct valued  at  $600,000;  43,000,000  feet  of  gas  were  pro- 
duced, and  90,000  bushels  of  coke;  malting  and  brewing 
business,  $800,000;  57  iron  and  wood  bridges  were  built, 
at  a  cost  of  $505,000;  lightning  rods  sold  to  the  value  of 
$131,000;  burr  mill  stones,  $75,000;  20,000  kegs  of  powder 
made;  7,000,000  bricks  made;  hats  and  caps,  $50,000. 
Estiiuates  upon  some  other  lines  of  business,  upon  which 
exact  figures  could  not  be  obtained,  were  added,  as  fol- 
lows: Wines  and  liquors,  $2,098,600;  groceries,  $4,840,- 
000;  hardware,  $1,417,000;  carpets,  $230,000;  crockery 
and  glassware,  $610,000;  furniture,  $600,000;  jewelry, 
$375,000;  books,  etc,  $800,000;  harness  and  trunks, 
$200,000;  ship  stores,  $200,000;  sewing  machines,  $250,- 
000;    shipbuilding,     $300,000;   drugs,    $913,000;   railroad 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


397 


receipts,    $10,500,000  ;    telegraph    and    express    receipts, 
$600,000;  miscellaneous  business,  $51,000,000.^^ 

This  very  gratifying  summary  of  the  business  of  Cleve- 
land for  1865,  proves  that  the  city  had  been  fairly  set  upon 
the  highway  of  commercial  and  manufacturing  impor- 
tance. These  results  speak  well  for  a  community  that 
had  begun  to  take  on  the  first  forms  of  villagehood  but 
fifty  years  before,  and  justify  the  wisdom  of  those  who 
selected  the  mouth 
of  the  Cuyahoga 
River  as  the  place 
upon  which  to  plant 
the  capital  of  the 
Reserve. 

Perhaps  the  main 
event  of  local  impor- 
tance, of  1866,  was 
the  establishment  of 
the  metropolitan  po- 
lice system.  A  law 
passed  by  the  Ohio 
Legislature,  at  its 
previous  session, 
went  into  effect  on 
May  I  st  of  that  year. 
Under  its  provisions, 
the  power  which  be- 
fore had  been  lodged  in  the  hands  of  the  mayor  and  city 
marshal,  with  the  management  of  the  funds  in  the  City 

"The  following  comment  from  the  "  Herald,"  in  September,  1S65,  will 
show  how  the  situation  was  viewed  from  the  home  standpoint:  "Cleve- 
land now  stands  confessedly  at  the  head  of  all  places  on  the  chain  of  lakes, 
as  a  shipbuilding  port.  Her  proximity  to  the  forests  of  Michigan  and 
Canada  affords  opportunity  for  the  selection  of  the  choicest  timber,  while 
the  superior  material  and  construction  of  the  iron  manufacturers  of  the 
city  give  an  advantage.  Cleveland  has  the  monopolar  of  propeller  build- 
ing, its  steam  tugs  are  the  finest  on  the  lakes,  whilst  Cleveland-built  sail- 
ing vessels  not  only  outnumber  all  other  vessels  on  the  chain  of  lakes, 
but  are  found  on  the  Atlantic  Coast,  in  English  waters,  ujd  the  Mediter- 
ranean, and  in  the  Baltic." 


OLD    CENTRAL    I'DLICE    STATION. 


398  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


Council,  passed  to  a  Board  of  Police  Commissioners,  con- 
sisting of  the  mayor  and  four  others,  appointed  by  the 
governor  of  the  State.  This  board  was  to  have  charge  of 
all  police  matters.  Police  officers  were  to  hold  office  dur- 
ing good  behavior,  and  other  reforms  were  inaugurated. 
The  force  at  this  time  numbered  fifty,  and  the  expendi- 
tures for  the  year  were  $51,710.  The  first  board  consisted 
of  H.  M.  Chapin,  mayor;  W.  P.  Fogg,  James  Barnett, 
Philo  Chamberlain,  and  Nelson  Purdy.  The  law  was  so 
changed,  in  1872,  that  the  board  members  were  elected  di- 
rectly by  the  people,  and  the  first  commissioners  under 
this  system  were  John  M.  Sterling,  Jr.,  Jere  E.  Robin- 
son, George  Saal,  and  J.  C.  Schenck.  A  new  station  house 
on  Champlain  street  had  been  erected  in  1864.^^ 

Another  notable  event  of  1866,  was  the  opening,  in  No- 
vember, of  the  new  Union  Passenger  Depot,  on  the  lake 
front,  at  the  foot  of  Water  and  Bank  streets.  The  occa- 
sion was  marked  by  a  banquet  given  by  the  railroads  own- 
ing and  using  this  great  and  needed  structure.  These 
were  the  Cleveland,  Columbus  &  Cincinnati;  the  Cleve- 
land &  Pittsburg;  the  Cleveland  &  Toledo;  and  the 
Cleveland,  Painesville  &  Ashtabula  railroads.  The  de- 
pot was  at  that  time  regarded  as  one  of  the  largest  and 
best  appointed  in  the  country,  being  constructed  entirely 
of  stone  and  iron,  and  measuring  603  feet  in  length  and 
108  feet  in  width. ^"^ 

'•''  Like  the  fire  department,  the  police  service  of  Cleveland  has  kept  pace 
with  the  general  growth.  On  Januar}^  ist,  1895,  it  was  shown  in  the  an- 
nual reports  that  the  expenditures  for  the  preceding  year  amounted  to 
$491,571.86;  a  new  central  police  station  had  been  completed ;  the  force 
was  composed  of  317  members;  there  had  been  9,751  arrests  during  the 
year. 

"^  The  following  is  from  the  report  for  1866,  of  L.  M.  Hubb}^  president  of 
the  Cleveland,  Columbus  &  Cincinnati  line:  "  The  new  passenger  depot 
at  Cleveland,  costing  some  $475,000,  and  in  which  this  company  has  one- 
fourth  interest,  was  so  far  completed  as  to  be  opened  for  use  on  the  12th 
day  of  November  last.     .  .      Its   erection   was    indispensable,  as   the 

old  depot,  being  erected,  over  the  waters  of  the  lake,  upon  piles,  from  gen- 
eral decay  had  become  unsafe  for  the  passage  onto  it  of  heavy  locomotives 
and  trains  of  cars  loaded  with  passengers." 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


399 


Two  great  institutions  of  Cleveland,  the  Publie  Library, 
and  the  Western  Reserve  Historical  Society,  may  both  be 
said  to  have  had  their  inception  in  the  year  now  reached. 
Of  the  last-named,  it  also  may  be  said  that  the  plan  of  or- 
ganization was  first  suggested  in  1866,  by  Hon.  Charles  C. 
Baldwin,  who  was  then  vice-president  of  the  Cleveland 
Library  Association.  On  the  evening  of  April  11,  1867, 
a  meeting  was  held  in  the  rooms  of  the  above-named  as- 
sociation, at  which  were  present  Charles  Whittlesey, 
Joseph  Perkins,  John  Barr,  H.  A.  Smith,  Charles  C.  Bald- 
win and  Alfred  T.  Goodman.  The  records  of  that  gath- 
ering say:  "The  object  of  the  meeting  thus  assembled 
was  to  take  steps  toward  the  formation  of  a  historical  so- 
ciety in  the  City  of  Cleveland.  The  meeting  was  not  or- 
ganized in  a  formal  way,  but  Colonel  Whittlesey  acted  as 
chairman.  A  discussion  was  held  as  to  the  name  the  as- 
sociation should  take,  the  following  being  finally  adopted, 
viz.  :  The  Reserve  Historical  Department  of  the  Cleve- 
land Library  Association." 

On  due  authorization  from  the  Cleveland  Library  Asso- 
ciation, a  historical  section  was  established  on  May  28, 
1867,  in  accordance  with  the  following,  signed  by  the  req- 
uisite number  of  members:  "The  undersigned  members 
of  the  Cleveland  Library  Association  hereby  associate 
ourselves  as  a  department  of  history  and  its  kindred  sub- 
jects, in  accordance  with  the  provisions  of  its  amended 
constitution,  and  agree  to  proceed  immediately  to  organize 
said  department  by  adopting  the  proper  rules  and  regula- 
tions, and  the  appointment  of  officers."  The  names 
signed  to  this  agreement  were  as  follows:  M.  B.  vScott, 
A.  T.  Goodman,  Peter  Thatcher,  W.  N.  Hudson,  J.  D. 
Cleveland,  George  Willey,  E.  R.  Perkins,  John  H.  Sar- 
gent, W.  P.  Fogg,  George  R.  Tuttle,  Samuel  Stark- 
weather, J.  C.  Buell,  Henry  A.  vSmith,  C.  W.  Sack- 
rider,  J.  H.  A.  Bone,  Joseph  Perkins,  K.  K.  vSpencer, 
H.  B.  Tuttle,  C.  C.  Baldwin,  T.  R.  Chase,  Charles  Whit- 
tlesey. 

The  following  officers  were  chosen,  at  a  meeting  held 


400 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


some  days  later :  President,  Charles  Whittlesey'" ;  Vice-Presi- 
dent, M.  B.  Scott;  Secretary,  J.  C.  Buell ;  Treasurer,  A.  K. 
Spencer ;  ex  officio  Curators  for  one  year,  Peter  Thatcher,  A. 
K.  Spencer,  Amos  Townsend ;  Curators  for  o)ie  year,  J.  C. 
Buell,  H.  A.  Smith;  Curators  for  t^oo  years,  C.  C.  Baldwin, 
M.  B.  Scott;  Curators  for  three  years,  Joseph  Perkins,  Charles 
Whittlesey.       The   following  was  then   adopted:     "This 

department  shall 
be  known  as  the 
Western  Reserve 
Historical  Society, 
the  principal  ob- 
ject of  which  shall 
be  to  discover, 
procure  and  pre- 
serve whatever  re- 
lates to  the  his- 
tory, biography, 
genealogy,  antiq- 
uities and  statis- 
tics connected  with 
the  City  of  Cleve- 
land and  the  West- 
ern Reserve,  and 
generally  what  re- 
lates to  the  history 
of  Ohio  and  the 
Great  West." 
J-  In  1868,  Mr. 
Buell  tendered  his 
resignation  as  sec- 
Rooms  were  eneaeed 


.■x&ZSssA 


AVESTERN    RESERVE    HISTORICAL    SOCIETY    BUILDING. 


retary,  and  Mr.  Baldwin  was  elected. 

in  the  Savings  Bank  Building,  on  the  Public  Square,  and 

"Charles  Whittlesey  was  born  in  Southington,  Conn.,  on  October  4th, 
iSoS.  He  was  brought  by  his  parents  to  Tallmadge,  Ohio,  in  1813.  He 
received  an  education  in  the  common  schools,  and  at  an  academy,  and  in 
1827  became  a  cadet  at  West  Point,  from  which  he  graduated  in  1831. 
He  served  in  the  Black  Hawk  War,  and  also  tendered  his  service  to  the 
government  during  the  Seminole  and  Mexican  wars.     He  opened  a  law 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  401 

the  work  described  in  the  above  resolution  was  earnestly 
and  vigorously  entered  upon.  The  society  long  since 
took  its  place  as  one  of  the  great  historical  organizations 
of  the  country.  Its  stated  publications  are  ranked  among 
those  of  the  highest  value.  It  now  occupies,  and  owns, 
the  entire  building  in  which  it  was  once  a  tenant,  and  its 
possessions,  in  its  line  of  relics  and  historical  material,  are 
valuable  beyond  price.  It  has  been  enriched,  again  and 
again,  by  the  donations  of  generous  friends,  and  under 
the  direction  of  such  men  as  Charles  Whittlesey,  Charles 
C.  Baldwin  and  Alfred  T.  Goodman,  has  grown  to  be  an 
authority  and  a  power  in  the  domains  of  original  historic 
research.^''' 

The  Cleveland  Public  Library,  which  had  its  real  origin 
near  the  same  time  as  this  great  sister  organization,  was 
established  by  the  Board  of  Education,  under  the  provis- 
ions of  a  legislative  statute  passed  in  March,  1867,  au- 
thorizing the  levy  of  a  tax  of  one-tenth  of  a  mill,  for 
library  purposes.  The  nucleus  of  the  library  was  a  col- 
lection of  some  two  thousand  books  belonging  to  the 
public  school  library,  and  kept  in  the  East  High  School 
buildinof. 

A  room  was  engaged  on  the  third  floor  of  the  Northrop 
&  Harrington  Block,  Superior  street,  in  September,  1868, 
and  fitted  up  for  library  purposes.      It  was  opened  to  the 

office  in  Cleveland;  was  part  owner  of  the  "  Whig  and  Herald;"  became 
assistant  geologist  of  Ohio.  In  this  and  like  caj^acities,  he  gave  a  public 
service  of  inestimable  value.  He  offered  his  service  to  his  country  in  1S61 ; 
and  resigned  in  1862  because  of  ill-health.  As  a  writer  upon  historical 
and  scientific  subjects,  he  added  many  valuable  contributions  to  the  litera- 
ture of  the  West,  while  his  service  as  president  of  the  historical  society 
above-named  was  of  an  enduring  and  valuable  character.  He  died  on 
October  i8th,  1886.  An  appreciative  memorial  of  Colonel  Whittlesey,, 
from  the  pen  of  Judge  Charles  C.  Baldwin,  may  be  found  in  Tract  No.  68, 
Western  Reserve  Historical  Society. 

^s  The  full  history  of  this  great  society  may  be  fotind  m  Vol.  HI,  Tract 
No.  74,  p.  123,  of  the  publications  of  the  Western  Reserve  Historical  Soci- 
ety, in  a  sketch  written  by  D.  W.  Manchester,  entitled:  "  Historical  Sketch 
of  the  Western  Reserve  Historical  Society. "  A  list  of  some  of  the  Society's 
most  important  possessions  is  there  given. 


402  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

public  on  February  17,  1869,  and  formally  dedicated  in 
the  evening  of  the  same  day.  An  address  was  delivered 
by  E.  R.  Perkins,  president  of  the  Board  of  Education, 
and  fitting  remarks  were  made  by  Rev.  Anson  Smvth,  H. 
vS.  Stevens,  Mayor  Stephen  Buhrer,  and  AY.  H.  Price. 

The  Library  had  been  fitted  up  under  tne  direction  of 
L.  M.  Oviatt.  who  had  been  chosen  librarian.  On  the 
day  following  the  dedication,  it  was  opened  for  the  issuing 
of  books,  and  from  that  time  up  to  August  31st,  nearly 
four  thousand  members  were  registered.  In  1873,  the  Li- 
brary was  removed  to  the  Clark  Block,  just  west  of  its 
original  location.  Li  1875,  ^^-  Oviatt  was  compelled  to 
resign,  because  of  failing  health,  and  was  succeeded  by  I. 
L.  Beardslev,  who  had  an  extensive  knowleds^e  of  books, 
and  no  small  business  experience.  A  second  removal 
occurred,  this  time  to  the  new  City  Hall.  On  the  com- 
pletion of  the  new  Central  High  School  building,  it  was 
once  more  removed,  in  April,  1879,  ^o  its  present  location, 
in  the  old  High  School  building  on  Euclid  avenue,  occu- 
pying the  second  and  third  floors.  In  1884,  Mr.  Beards- 
ley  resigned,  and  was  vSucceeded  by  William  H.  Brett,  who 
has  since  ably  and  successfully  occupied  that  important 
position. 

For  some  three  years  after  its  establishment,  the  Li- 
brary was  directly  under  the  control  of  the  Board  of  Edu- 
cation. In  accordance  with  the  provisions  of  an  act,  passed 
by  the  Legislature  in  April,  1867,  the  Board  of  Education, 
on  October  2,  1871,  elected  a  Board  of  Library  Managers, 
which  continued  in  control  of  the  Library  until  July, 
1873,  when  four  of  its  members  resigned.  The  Board  of 
Education  did  not  fill  the  vacancies,  but  re-assumed  direct 
•control. 

On  April  8,  1878,  an  act  was  passed  by  the  General 
Assembly,  authorizing  the  Board  of  Education  to  elect  a 
Library  Committee,  of  not  less  than  three  nor  more  than 
:seven  members,  not  of  their  own  number,  who  should 
serve  for  two  years,  and  in  whose  hands  should  be  placed 
the  control  of  the  library,  with  the  exception  of    fixing 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  403 

the  salaries.  On  April  18,  1883,  an  act  was  passed  chang- 
ing the  designation  from  vSchool  to  Public  Library,  and 
by  other  measure,  near  the  same  time,  the  entire  control 
was  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  committee.  The  name 
cominittee  was  also  changed  to  Public  Library  Board,  and 
by  another  measure,  passed  April  28,  1886,  the  number  of 
members  was  fixed  at  seven,  each  of  whom  was  to  serve 
three  years,  and  all  of  whom  were  elected  by  the  Board 
of  Education.  The  first  president  of  the  Library  Board 
was  Sherlock  J.  Andrews,  while  his  successors  to  date 
have  been  Rev.  John  W.  Brown,  General  M.  D.  Leggett, 
John  G.  White,  Dr.  H.  C.  Brainerd,  Henry  W.  S.  Wood, 
and  John  C.  Hutchins.^'-' 

Brief  mention  may  be  made  of  a  number  of  other  or- 
ganizations, of  an  educational  or  benevolent  order,  that 
found  their  origin  in  these  prolific  years  of  expansion  and 
growth.  The  Cleveland  Bethel  Union  was  incorporated 
in  1867,  for  the  support  of  mission  work,  and  for  the  main- 
tenance of  a  boarding  home  for  seamen  and  others  in 
need.  In  1868,  a  building  at  the  corner  of  Superior  and 
Spring  streets  was  purchased ,  and  the  work  has  since  been 
carried  on  therein,  with  results  of  a  most  gratifying  char- 
acter. In  1873,  the  relief  work  which  had  at  first  been 
extended  only  to  the  lower  wards,  was  made  to  embrace 
the  whole  city.  As  an  outgrowth  of  this  work,  the  So- 
ciety for  Organizing  Charity  was  created,  in  1882,  for 
the  purpose  of  carrying  on  such  investigations  as  would 
prevent  imposition,  and  decrease  pauperism.  In  1886, 
this  society  and  the  Bethel  united  in  one  organization, 
under  the  name  of  the  Bethel  Associated  Charities,  the 

1^  A  very  entertaining  history  of  this  institution  may  be  found  in  the 
"  Magazine  of  Western  History,"  Vol.  VII,  p.  55,  from  the  pen  of  W.  H. 
Brett,  the  present  hbrarian.  It  is  entitled:  "  The  Rise  and  Growth  of  the 
Cleveland  Public  Library."  An  examination  of  the  annual  report  of  that 
institution,  for  the  year  ending  August  31st,  1895,  furnishes  some  suggest- 
ive figures,  as  to  its  growth  and  present  extended  usefulness.  Books  on 
hand,  96,921.  Issued  from  the  main  and  branch  libraries,  595,  169  volumes. 
Visitors  to  the  reference  rooms,  105,854.  Books  consulted,  78,923.  Branch 
libraries,  3 — one  on  Pearl  Street ;  one  on  Miles  Avenue ;  oiie  on  Woodland 
Avenue.     Number  of  employees,  37. 


404  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

work  being  continued  along  the  lines  so  successfully  fol- 
lowed before.  , 

In  1867,  a  bankruptcy  court  was  instituted  in  Cleveland, 
under  the  authority  of  the  third  United  States  bankruptcy 
law,  and  Myron  R.  Keith  was  appointed  registrar  for  the 
Northern  District  of  Ohio,  which  office  he  held  until  the 
repeal  of  the  law,  in  1878.  The  Women's  Christian  As- 
sociation was  organized  in  1868,  in  response  to  a  call  from 
H.  T.  Miller,  who  believed  that  the  w^omen  of  Cleveland 
could  be  organized  for  combined  Christian  work,  along  the 
lines  followed  by  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association. 
The  response  was  general,  the  association  came  into  be- 
ing, and  was  duly  incorporated.  Work  in  the  mission  field 
commenced  immediately,  and  a  small  boarding  home  for 
young  working  women  was  established.  In  1869,  vStill- 
man  Witt  gave  the  association  a  building  on  Walnut 
street,  and  this  work  in  an  enlarged  form  was  carried  on 
therein.  The  Retreat  for  the  reclamation  of  fallen 
women  was  founded,  and  by  the  generosity  of  Joseph  Per- 
kins ~*^  and  Leonard  Case,  a  large  structure,  to  be  used  as  a 
home  for  such  women,  was  erected  on  St.  Clair  street.  A 
hospital  and  nursery  department  were  added  in  1883,  also 
by  donation  from  Mr.  Perkins.  Other  lines  of  work  con- 
ducted by  the  association  are  the  Home  for  Aged  Women, 
on  Kennard  street ;  the  Educational  and  Industrial  Union, 
the  Young  Ladies'  Branch  ;  the  Home  for  Incurable 
Women  and  Children,  etc.      Each  of  these  branches,  with- 

20  Were  a  list  to  be  made  of  the  men  who  have  been  most  active  in  con- 
nection with  charitable  and  reformatory  work  in  Cleveland,  the  name  of 
Joseph  Perkins  would  stand  at  or  very  near  the  head.  He  was  the  son  of 
General  Simon  Perkins,  whose  public  record  has  been  already  referred  to. 
He  was  born  at  Warren,  Ohio,  on  July  5th,  iSig.  On  the  death  of  his 
father,  great  business  responsibilities  fell  upon  him.  He  removed  to 
Cleveland,  and  in  1853  became  president  of  the  Bank  of  Commerce.  From 
that  time  onward,  he  was  actively,  or  through  his  capital,  connected  with 
many  of  the  banking,  railroad,  and  other  business  organizations  of  the 
city.  His  whole  life  was  devoted  to  many  forms  of  charitable  labor — in 
the  church,  the  temperance  cause,  the  care  of  homeless  children,  the  re- 
form of  the  fallen,  the  education  of  the  masses ;  and  his  money  went  in 
unstinted  measure,  wherever  his  heart  was  enlisted.  j\Ir.  Perkins  died  at 
Saratoga,  New  York,  on  August  26th,  1S85. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  405 

in  its  own  lines,  has  rendered  great  service  to  the  needy 
and  the  destitute. 

The  Cleveland  City  Hospital  commenced  its  work   in 

1869,  in  a  small  frame  building-  on  Willson  street.  The 
value  of  its  work  was  soon  recognized,  and  in  1875  a 
lease  of  the  Marine  Hospital  and  grounds  was  secured, 
from  the  United  States  Government,  and  the  hospital  was 
located  therein.  On  May  10,  1876,  the  hospital  managers 
were  incorporated,  the  officers  and  incorporators  being  as 
follows:  President,  Joseph  Perkins;  Clerk,  E.  C.  Rouse; 
Trustees,  M.  B.  Scott,  George  B.  Stanley,  Henry  Chisholm, 
William  B.  Castle,  W.  J.  Boardman,  H.  C.  Blossom,  and 
G.  W.  Whitney.  In  December,  1869,  the  Cleveland  Law 
Library  Association  was  organized,  and  incorporated  in 

1870.  Its  purpose  was  the  creation  of  a  law  library  for 
the  use  of  the  county  bar,  and  it  long  since  ranked  among 
the  leading  associations  of  its  kind.  The  Kirtland  So- 
ciety of  Natural  Science  also  was  organized  in  1869,  under 
the  leadership  of  Dr.  Jared  P.  Kirtland,  in  whose  honor 
it  was  named.  In  1870,  it  became  a  department  of  the 
Cleveland  Library  Association. 

An  effort  had  been  made  to  secure  for  Cleveland,  from 
the  State  Board  of  Agriculture,  the  Ohio  State  Fair  of 
1870-71,  but  the  request  was  met  by  a  refusal.  This  de- 
cision, no  doubt,  had  much  to  do  with  Cleveland's  deter- 
mination to  have  a  permanent  fair  of  her  own.  The  ques- 
tion was  agitated,  and  at  a  meeting  of  citizens,  it  was 
determined  to  form  the  Northern  Ohio  Fair  Association, 
which  was  duly  incorporated,  on  February  26,  1870,  by 
the  following  gentlemen:  Amasa  Stone,  J.  H.  Wade,  J. 
P.  Robison,  Worthy  S.  Streator,  S.  D.  Harris,  Azariah 
Everett,  Amos  Townsend,  William  Bingham,  Henry  Not- 
tinghaTti,  David  A.  Dangler,  William  Collins,  Oscar  A. 
Childs,  Lester  L.  Hickox,  Oliver  H.  Payne,  Alton  Pope 
and  Waldo  A.  Fisher.  The  capital  stock  was  fixed  at 
$300,000.  The  purpose  of  the  association  was  declared,  in 
its  charter,  to  be  the  promotion  of  agriculture,  horticulture, 
and  the  mechanic  arts,   in  the  northern  sections  of  Ohio. 


4o6  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

Grounds  containing  eighty-seven  acres  were  purchased 
near  the  lake  shore,  to  the  east  of  the  city,  and  fair  build- 
ings were  erected.  The  first  fair  was  opened  on  October 
4,  1870,  and  continued  for  three  days.  These  fairs  were 
continued,  from  year  to  year,  tintil  finally  the  enterprise 
was  wound  up,  in  the  winter  of  1880-81,  because  the 
financial  results  were  not  such  as  to  justify  its  further 
continuance. 

As  an  outgrowth  of  these  gatherings,  there  grew  the 
Cleveland  Horticultural  Society,  the  Northern  Ohio  Poul- 
try Association,  and  the  Cleveland  Club.  The  organiza- 
tion last-named  was  composed  of  a  portion  of  the  Northern 
Ohio  Fair  Association  directory,  and  was  formed  in  1871, 
for  the  purpose  of  annually  holding  trotting  and  racing 
meetings  at  the  fair  grounds. 

At  the  head  of  the  social  organizations  of  Cleveland 
stands  the  Union  Club,  which  was  organized  at  a  meeting 
of  well-known  citizens,  on  September  25,  1872.  It  was 
incorporated,  as  the  charter  declared,  for  "physical  train- 
ing and  education."  The  first  permanent  officers  were: 
President,  William  Bingham;  First  l^iee-Prcsidcnt,  Henry  B. 
Payne;  Seeoiid  J^iee-President,W.  J.  Boardman ;  Seeretary, 
C.  P.  Leland;  Corresponding  Secretary,  Waldemar  Otis; 
Treasurer,  George  E.  Armstrong.  The  club  purchased  a 
handsome  and  commodious  building  on  Euclid  avenue, 
near  Erie  street,  which  it  has  since  occupied.  It  is  one 
of  the  most  important  social  organizations  of  the  West, 
and  in  its  membership  and  measures  has  fully  sustained 
the  high  mark  set  in  the  beginning. 

The  Cleveland  Bar  Association  came  into  being  in 
March,  1873.  Its  purpose  was  declared  to  be  the  main- 
tenance of  "the  honor  and  dignity  of  the  profession  of  the 
law,  to  cultivate  social  intercourse  and  acquaintance 
among  the  luembers  of  the  bar,  to  increase  our  usefulness 
in  aiding  the  administration  of  justice,  and  in  promoting 
legal  and  judicial  reform."  The  association  has  clearly 
lived  up  to  this  high  standard.  The  first  officers  were: 
President,   S.    J.   Andrews;    Viee-Prcsidents,   James    Mason, 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  407 

John  W.  Heisley  and  John  C.  Grannis  ;  Recording  Sccrifarv, 
Virgil  P.  Kline;  Corrcs/>oii(iiiig  Sccn-tcrry,  L.  R.  Critchfield ; 
Treasurer,  G.  M.  Barber. 

The  Cuyahoga  County  Medical  Society  was  formed  in 
1873,  by  the  amalgamation  of  two  societies,  known  as  the 
Cleveland  Academy  of  Medicine,  and  the  Pathological  So- 
ciety. Its  object,  like  that  of  its  predecessors,  was  to 
increase  the  knowledge  of  its  meinbers,  to  bring  them 
into  more  intimate  social  relations  with  each  other,  and  to 
promote  the  improvement  of  the  medical  art. 

Returning  again  to  1868,  and  the  general  record,  two 
events  of  marine  importance  present  theinselves.  In  the 
launch  of  the  little  steamer  "J.  K.  White,'.'  in  this  vear, 
the  people  of  Cleveland  saw  the  first  iron  ship  built  with- 
in their  borders,  suggestive  of  much  that  was  to  follow. 
The  second  event  was  the  tragic  loss  of  the  steamer 
"Morning  Star,"  the  companion  of  the  "R.  N.  Rice,"  on 
the  Cleveland  and  Detroit  line.  She  left  Cleveland  on 
the  night  of  June  20th,  and  when  off  Black  River,  some 
thirty  iniles  out,  collided  in  the  dark  and  storm  with  the 
bark  ' '  Cortland. ' '  She  began  to  sink  immediately.  Some 
of  the  passengers  and  crew  saved  themselves  by  clinging 
to  floating  pieces  of  wreckage,  and  were  picked  up  by  the 
"Rice,"  which  came  along  two  hours  later.  Captain 
Viger,  and  thirteen  others,  floated  off  on  a  portion  of  the 
upper  cabin  and  were  saved,  but  over  a  score  of  lives  were 
lost.  The  sad  news  was  received  with  wild  excitement 
and  grave  apprehensions  in  Cleveland,  as  a  number  of  her 
citizens  were  among  the  passengers  on  the  ill-fated  boat. 

Work  upon  the  new  and  needed  water  works  tunnel 
was  commenced  in  1869.  Complaint  had  been  heard,  from 
time  to  time,  ever  since  the  construction  of  the  water 
works,  of  the  quality  of  the  water,  because  of  shore  wash- 
ings, sewage,  and  the  river  outflow,  and  the  authorities 
of  the  department  decided  to  draw  the  supply  from  a 
point  farther  out  in  the  lake.  Surveys  for  a  new  tunnel 
were  made  in  1867,  and  in  1869  work  was  commenced  by 
sinking  a  shaft  on  the   shore,  near  the  pumping  station, 


4o8 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


to  the  depth  of  6'/y2  feet  below  the  surface  of  the  lake,  and 
a  tunnel  five  feet  in  diameter  commenced  from  its  bottom 
outward.  In  the  meantime,  a  crib,  having  a  diameter  of 
^7%  feet,  was  built,  and  on  August  5,  1870,  towed  to  a 
point  6,600  feet  from  the  shore,  and  sunk  in  thirty-six 
feet  of  water.  It  was  then  loaded  down  with  thousands 
of  tons  of  stone.  A  lake  shaft  was  then  sunk  beneath  the 
center  of  the  crib,  to  a  depth  of  ninety  feet  below  the  sur- 
face of  the  water,  and  a  tunnel  started  shoreward  to  meet 
the  one  coming  from  the  other  direction.  Many  difficul- 
ties in  the  wa}^  of  quicksands,  etc.,  were  encountered,  but 
on  March  2,    1874,  the  work  was  completed,    and   water 

let  in  on  the  following  day. 
The  total  cost  Avas  $320,- 
351.72.  The  crib  was  fitted 
up  as  a  lighthouse  and  a 
house  for  its  keeper.  The 
quality  of  the  city  water  was 
very  greatly  improved. 

The  rapid  growth  of 
Cleveland,  however,  before 
long,  demonstrated  that  new 
extensions  and  improvements 
of  the  water  works  were  a 
matter  of  necessit3^  A  sec- 
ond tunnel,  connecting  the 
crib  with  the  shore,  was  successfully  commenced,  and  com- 
pleted in  1890,  giving  two  direct  connections  between  the 
intake  at  the  crib  and  the  pumping  station,  the  old  one 
being  five  feet  in  diameter,  and  the  new  one  seven  feet. 
Still  another  step,  in  the  direction  of  an  improved  serv- 
ice, was  taken  in  the  building  of  the  new  Fairmount  res- 
ervoir, which  was  coinpleted  in  1885.  The  object  sought 
was  to  obtain  greater  storage  capacity,  and  better  pressure 
for  the  larger  part  of  the  city.  The  old  Kentucky  street 
reservoir  had  a  capacity  of  six  million  gallons,  and  main- 
tained a  head  of  158  feet  above  the  lake,  but  this  head 
was  decreased  somewhat  in  overcoming  the  friction  in  the 


MAYOR    C.    A.     OTIS. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  4og 

supply  pipes,  leading  from  the  reservoir  to  the  different 
parts  of  the  city.  The  greatest  length  of  the  Fairmotint 
reservoir  is  -about  1,500  feet,  and  the  greatest  width  700 
feet.  It  is  divided  into  two  basins,  by  an  embankment, 
one  having  a  capacity  of  47  million  gallons,  and  the  other 
of  33  million  gallons. 

The  site  of  this  reservoir,  on  Fairmo'unt  street,  in  the 
extreme  eastern  portion  of  the  city,  was  chosen  as  being 
the  most  suitable  of  all  considered ;  far  from  the  city  dirt 
and  smoke,  having  the  needed  materials  near  at  hand,  and 
lying  on  a  railroad  line.  When  the  works  were  originally 
built,  all  the  water  for  the  city  was  pumped  directly  into 
the  Kentucky  street  reservoir,  and  from  thence  distributed 
to  the  consumer.  As  the  demand  increased,  and  addition- 
al pumps  and  mains  became  necessary,  the  water  supply 
system  was  changed,  the  new  pumps  pumping  directly 
into  the  mains,  while  the  old  ones  still  supplied  the  res- 
ervoir. All  the  mains  connected  at  different  points,  and 
the  preSvSure  was  regulated  by  the  head  of  the  water  up 
on  Kentucky  street.  When  the  new  reservoir  was  being 
built,  and  a  high  service  system  established,  to  take  water 
from  the  reservoir  to  supply  the  higher  part  of  the  city 
(pumping  to  an  elevation  of  325  feet),  the  Cornish  engines 
were  removed  from  the  Division  street  pumping  station 
to  this  high  service  station,  and  direct-acting  pumps  put 
in  their  places.  The  system  of  water  supply  at  present  is 
to  pump  directly  into  the  mains  stipplying  the  city,  and 
force  the  surplus  only  into  the  Fairmount  reservoir.  The 
Kentucky  street  reservoir,  therefore,  became  useless,  and 
was  abandoned. 

Other  improvements  of  an  important  character,  in  con- 
nection with  the  city's  water  works  system,  are  now  under 
consideration,  involving  an  extension  of  the  present  main 
tunnel  several  miles  into  the  lake ;  the  building  of  a  new 
pumping  station  toward  the  east,  and  the  digging  of  a  new 
tunnel,  a  great  intercepting  sewer,  and  a  thorough  and 
.scientific  flushing  of  the  Cuyahoga  River. 

The  laying  of  the  foundations  of  a  most  beneficent  or- 


410  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

ganization  must  be  noted  among  the  events  of  1873.  On 
March  i8th  of  that  year,  O.  J.  Hodge  offered  a  resolution 
in  the  Cit}-'  Council,  inviting  all  persons  interested  in  the 
formation  of  a  humane  society  to  meet  in  the  council 
chamber  on  the  following  Friday  evening.  This  was 
adopted,  and  on  the  evening  named  there  assembled  about 
a  dozen  gentlemen.  ^Ir.  Hodge  called  the  meeting  to 
order,  and  explained  the  purposes  for  which  it  had  been 
called,  and  then  asked  Earl  Bill  to  occupy  the  chair.  A 
committee  on  permanent  organization  was  then  appointed, 
consisting  of  O.  J.  Hodge,  J.  W.  Fitch,  and  H.  F.  Bray- 
ton.  The  following  names  were  subsequently  added  to 
the  list:  W.  J.  McKinnie,  W.  P.  Fogg,  C.  B.  Pettingill, 
H.  C.  Brock  way,  and  Dr.  E.  Sterling.  On  the  evening 
of  March  27th,  a  constitution  was  reported,  and  on  April 
4th,  the  following  officers  of  this  newly-formed  Cleveland 
Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty  to  Animals  were 
duly  elected:  President,  General  J.  W.  Fitch;  ] lee- Presi- 
dents, James  M.  Hoyt,  William  Bingham,  O.  J.  Hodge, 
John  Tod,  Earl  Bill;   Seeretary,  H.   F.  Brayton. 

The  work  of  this  great  society  has  been  continuous,  and 
of  incalculable  benefit  to  two  defenseless  classes — dumb 
brutes  and  helpless  children.  Some  ten  or  a  dozen  years 
ago,  its  scope  was  widened,  so  that  helpless  mothers  and 
children  could  be  brought  under  its  protective  influences. 
The  name  was  then  changed  to  the  Humane  Society. 
The  good  work  of  the  organization  still  goes  on.-^  At  the 

2'  Two  years  previous  to  the  taking  of  the  step  above  described,  looking" 
to  the  formation   of  this  society,  Mr.  Hodge  had  introduced  in  the  City 
Council  an  ordinance  to  prevent  and  punish  cruelty  to  dumb  animals.    This 
was  passed  on  April  11,  1871,  and  was  the  tirst  step  taken  by  the  Cleveland 
law-makers  in  that  direction.     As  but  little  attention  was  paid  to  the  law, 
the   mayor  embodied  it  in  a  proclamation,  which  was  posted  throughout 
the  city.     Being  a  member  of  the  State  Legislature  about  this  time,  Mr. 
Hodge  introduced  three  bills,  each  intended  for  the  better  protection  of 
children  and  dumb  animals,  all  of  which  became  laws.      On  March  10, 
1874,  he  also  called  a  meeting  of  prominent  men,  from  various  parts  of 
the  State,  to  be  held  at  the  Neil  House  in  Columbus,  and  at  that  gather- 
ing, a  State  society  was  organized,  with  Gen.  J.  W.  Fitch,  of  Cleveland,  as- 
president. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  41  z 

twenty-third  annual  meeting,  held  on  the  evening  of 
April  I,  1896,  it  was  shown  that  638  complaints  in  be- 
half of  children  had  been  reported  during  the  year,  and 
that  in  most  cases  relief  had  been  secured ;  while  the  cases 
of  six  thousand  and  more  in  the  animal  department,  had 
been  attended  to.  The  receipts  were  $4,670.98,  and  the 
disbursements  about  the  same. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

AN    ERA    OF    MANY    IMPROVEMENTS. 

The  importance  of  creating  and  maintaining  proper  har- 
bor facilities,  was  recognized  in  Cleveland  at  an  early  date, 
and  the  steps  taken  for  the  opening  of  a  river  channel, 
and  protection  of  the  lake  front,  in  previous  years,  have 
already  been  recorded.  The  unprotected  condition  of  the 
harbor,  was  always  regarded  as  a  source  of  danger,  em- 
phasized by  the  narrowness  of  the  river  opening,  and  the 
difficulty  of  making  port  in  a  time  of  storm.  No  move- 
ment toward  the  construction  of  an  artificial  harbor  of  ref- 
uge, however,  was  made  until  1870,  when  the  City  Coun- 
cil adopted  resolutions  in  favor  of  the  construction  of 
such  work  by  the  general  government,  while  a  petition  to 
that  effect  was  circulated  among  the  citizens.  An  appro- 
priation of  three  thousand  dollars  for  a  preliminary  survey 
was  made,  and  the  engineers  reported  the  cost  at  three 
million  dollars  —  a  figure  so  large  that  the  committee  on 
commerce  reported  adversely  upon  the  measure. 

The  matter  was  not  dropped  there,  however,  as  R.  T. 
Lyon,  on  January  16,  1873,  offered  resolutions  in  the  Board 
of  Trade,  urging  upon  Congress  the  importance  and  neces- 
sity of  such  refuge,  for  the  protection  of  vessels  navigating 
the  uncertain  waters  of  Lake  Erie.  They  were  adopted, 
and  a  committee  appointed  to  confer  with  the  City  Council 
and  secure  its  co-operation.     Hon.  R.   C.  Parsons, ^~  then 

--  Richard  C.  Parsons,  whose  public  labors  have  been  mentioned  often  in 
the  foregoing  pages,  was  born  in  New  London,  Conn.,  on  October  10,  1826. 
He  became  a  member  of  the  Cleveland  bar  in  1851 ;  has  served  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Cit}'  Council,  and  State  Legislature;  was  consul  at  Rio  Janeiro; 
collector  of  internal  revenue  at  Cleveland;  and  marshal  of  the  United 
States  Supreme  Court.  He  was  elected  to  Congress  from  the  Cuyahoga 
district  in  1S72.  The  Cleveland  breakwater  is,  in  no  small  degree,  a  monu- 
ment to  his  zeal  and  energ^^     He  became  chief  owner  and  editor  of  the 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  41  j 

the  national  representative  from  this  district,  by  strenuous 
efforts,  and  good  management,  persuaded  the  government 
to  another  survey,  which  work  was  performed  in  1874  by 
Colonel  Blount,  of  the  United  States  Engineering  Corps. 
He  reported  two  plans  —  one  for  an  anchorage  of  thirty 
acres,  at  a  cost  of  five  hundred  thousand  dollars,  and  the 
other  for  ninety  acres,  at  a  cost  of  twelve  hundred  thou- 
sand dollars. 

In  the  spring  of  1875,  Congress  appropriated  fifty  thou- 
sand dollars  for  the  commencement  of  the  work,  and  re- 
ferred the  question  of  size  and  other  specifications  to  a 
corps  of  government  engineers,  who  reported  in  favor  of 
a  harbor  of  two  hundred  acres,  at  a  cost  of  eighteen  hun- 
dred thousand  dollars.  This  was  adopted,  ^and  ,  when 
Hon.  H.  B.  Payne  was  in  Congress,  he  secured  fifty  thou- 
sand dollars  for  a  continuation  of  the  work,  and  Hon. 
Amos  Townsend  had  that  increased  by  one  hundred 
thousand. 

Work  upon  the  west  wing  of  the  breakwater  was  com- 
menced in  the  fall  of  1875,  and  completed  in  1883.  The 
structure  commences  at  a  point  seven  hundred  feet  west 
of  the  upper  end  of  the  old  river  bed,  and  runs  about  due 
north  for  3,130  feet,  to  a  depth  of  28  feet.  It  then  turns 
an  angle  and  runs  nearly  parallel  to  the  shore  for  4,030 
feet,  with  a  spur  one  hundred  feet  long  on  the  north  side  of- 
the  lake  arm,  and  two  hundred  feet  from  its  eastern  end. 

Experience  showed  that  still  greater  precautionary 
measures  were  necessary,  and  it  was  decided  that  the  har- 
bor to  the  eastward,  would  be  sufficiently  protected  by  ex- 
tending the  east  pier  at  the  mouth  of  the  river  some  four- 
teen hundred  feet.  The  engineer  in  charge,  however, 
recommended,  in  May,  1884,  that  this  plan  be  changed, 
and  that  an  arm  of  the  breakwater  be  built  to  the  east- 
ward, leaving  an  opening  opposite  the  piers.     This  was 

"Cleveland  Herald"  in  1876,  and  after  retii'ement  from  that  position 
served  for  a  time  as  a  national  bank  examiner.  Mr.  Parsons  has  made 
his  mark  as  an  orator  and  writer,  and  for  several  years  past,  has  served  as 
the  efficient  president  of  the  Early  Settlers'  Association. 


414  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

approved  by  the  department  at  AVashington,  and  on 
August  5,  1886,  Congress  passed  an  act  making  the  nec- 
essary appropriations  for  this  improvement.  The  original 
plan  contemplated  an  extension  of  about  3,600  feet  alto- 
gether, but  it  was  soon  found  that  this  would  be  insuffi- 
cient, and  so  the  plan  was  enlarged,  and  additional  appro- 
priations secured  from  Congress.  The  breakwater,  under 
the  latest  plan,  begins  at  a  point  on  the  prolongation  of 
the  lake  arm  of  the  western  breakwater,  and  five  hundred 
feet  from  it;  extends  eastward  upon  this  line  about  3,500 
feet,  then  inclines  toward  the  shore  and  extends  2,000 
feet,  in  a  depth  of  26  feet  of  water,  and  having  between 
its  eastern  end,  and  the  curve  of  14  feet  depth  of  water,  an 
•entrance  2,300  feet  wide.  About  2,500  feet  of  this  break- 
water had  been  completed  up  to  the  early  summer  of  1 896. 

It  may  be  added,  in  this  connection,  that  it  is  only  with- 
in a  few  years  that  Cleveland  has  awakened  to  the  com- 
mercial importance  of  its  lake  front.  Boats  grew  larger 
under  the  imperative  demands  of  trade,  but  there  was  no 
■corresponding  increase  in  the  city's  dockage,  and  accord- 
ingly many  large  interests  —  the  iron  ore  trade  of  the  Lake 
Superior  region,  for  instance — -were  largely  diverted  to 
other  lower-lake  ports.  The  ill  effects  of  such  desertion 
were  plainly  manifest,  and  steps  were  taken  to  check  it. 
In  March,  1895,  the  Cuddy-Mullen  Company  began  the 
construction  of  a  dock  of  adequate  size,  just  east  of  the 
river,  in  the  outer  harbor,  inside  the  breakwater.  It  was 
finished  April  i,  1896.  It  is  623  feet  long,  and  210  feet 
wide.  Adjoining  it,  is  the  dock  of  the  Pennsylvania  Com- 
pany, of  the  same  dimensions,  which  has  just  been  finished. 
On  this  will  be  erected  a  passenger  station  and  freight 
houses. 

The  city  has  also  started  in  to  do  its  share  toward  de- 
veloping the  lake  front.  vSince  December,  1894,  it  has 
'been  extending  Erie  street  to  the  water's  edge,  and  build- 
ing piers  out  into  the  lake.  Already  about  five  hundred 
feet  have  been  constructed,  and  it  is  the  city's  intention  to 
-make  thereby  large  and  convenient  dockage  for  excursion 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  41s 

steamers,  and  thus  put  the  pleasures  of  lake  travel  within 
easy  reach  of  the  people.  Ultimately,  similar  extensions 
and  piers  will  be  made,  at  all  the  down-toAvn  cross 
streets. 

A  number  of  municipal  measures  of  great  impor- 
tance occupied  the  attention  of  the  city  authorities  and 
the  public,  during  the  first  half  of  the  decade  from  1870 
to  1880.  On  January  i,  1871,  the  penal  and  corrective  de- 
partments of  the  city  were  divorced  from  the  infirmary, 
and  established  in  a  large  and  well-appointed  structure  of 
their  own,  on  Woodland  avenue.  The  Cleveland  Work- 
house and  House  of  Correction  was  the  official  title  of  this 
new  institution.  The  building  was  erected  at  a  cost  of 
two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars.  The  first  board 
of  directors  consisted  of  Harvey  Rice,  J.  H.  Wade,  George 
H.  Burt,  S.  C.  Brooks,  and  William  Edwards. 

The  Board  of  Park  Commissioners  also  came  into  exist- 
ence in  1 87 1,  by  an  ordinance  passed  by  the  City  Council 
in  August,  and  the  following  gentlemen  were  constituted 
the  members  thereof  :xA.  Everett,  O.  A.  Childs,  and  J.  H. 
Sargent.  Previous  to  this  time,  the  work  that  properly 
belonged  to  such  department,  had  been  performed  by  the 
street  commissioner,  and  the  creation  of  the  board  was  the 
first  real  effort  to  give  the  city  a  system  of  public  parks. 
Bonds  to  the  amount  of  $35,000  were  issued  in  1872,  and 
the  first  step  toward  the  object  in  view  was  the  beautify- 
ing of  the  Public  Square.  In  1874,  the  construction  of 
Lake  View  Park  was  commenced,  and  work  was  soon 
after  begun  on  Franklin  Circle,  and  on  the  old  and  long- 
forgotten  Clinton  Park. 

The  greatest  step  taken  by  Cleveland  in  the  direction 
of  a  park  system  came  through  the  munificent  action  of 
an  honored  and  wealthy  citizen.     J.   H.  Wade~'^  had  pur- 

^^  Jeptha  H.  Wade  was  born  in  Seneca  County,  New  York,  on  August  ri, 
1811,  and  died  in  Cleveland  on  August  9,  1S90.  He  began  life  as  a  por- 
trait i^ainter,  and  with  camera  and  brush  made  his  way  in  the  world  until 
1847,  when  he  became  interested  in  the  newly-created  electric  telegraph, 
and  took  a  contract  for  the  construction  of  a  line  from  Jackson  to  Detroit, 
Michigan.    He  was  of  great  aid  in  the  development  of  telegraphy,  and  was 


416  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

chased  a  great  area  of  land,  to  the  north  of  Euclid  avenue, 
at  the  extreme  eastern  end  of  the  city,  and  by  large  expend- 
itures of  money  had  made  a  beautiful  park,  in  which  the 
skill  of  the  landscape  artist  had  touched  the  attractions 
of  nature  but  to  adorn.     In    1882,  Mr.  Wade  donated  this 

park  to  the  city,  on  condi- 
tion that  seventy-five  thou- 
sand dollars  should  be  ex- 
pended in  improveinents. 
The  gift  was  accepted,  and 
Wade  Park  now  stands  as 
a  perpetual  monument  to 
the  foresight  and  generosi- 
ty of  Jeptha  H.  Wade. 

A      second      munificent 
gift,   of   a   like    character, 
_^      was    the    presentation    of 
WILLIAM  J.  GURDON.  Gordou  Park  to  the  city  by 

William  J.  Gordon,'^  who 
was  for  years  one  of  the  most  active  and  enterprising 
of  Cleveland's  bUvSiness  men.  In  1865,  and  at  later  peri- 
one  of  the  prime  movers  in  the  creation  of  the  great  Western  Union  Tele- 
graph Company.  He  was  one  of  the  originators  of  the  first  Pacific  tele- 
graph line.  He  became  largely  mterested  in  railroads,  being  officially  con- 
nected with  the  chief  lines  touching  Cleveland.  He  was  also  an  active 
figure  in  the  banking  circles  of  Cleveland,  and  connected  with  many  other 
lines  of  business  and  manufacture.  His  generosity  \vas  great,  and  there 
w-ere  few  of  the  beneficent  charities  of  the  city  that  could  not  count  upon 
his  constant  and  generous  aid. 

-■*  William  J.  Gordon  was  born  on  September  30,  1818,  m  Monmouth 
County,  New  Jersey.  He  began  business  life  at  an  early  age,  and  although 
but  twenty-one  years  of  age  when  he  came  to  Cleveland,  in  1839,  he  had 
already  seen  several  years  of  mercantile  life,  and  shown  admirable  busi- 
ness qualities.  It  was  not  long  before  he  was  recognized  as  one  of  the 
active  business  forces  of  the  city,  as  the  head  of  the  wholesale  grocery 
house  of  W.  J.  Gordon  &  Co.,  and  of  Gordon,  McMillan  &  Co.  Hew^asone 
of  the  pioneers  in  opening  the  iron  ore  regions  of  Lake  Superior,  owming 
large  interests  in  the  Cleveland  Iron  Mining  Company.  He  was  connected 
with  several  manufacturing  establishments  of  Cleveland,  and  w^as  known 
all  over  the  country  as  ow-ner  of  one  of  the  finest  stock  farms  in  the  West, 
and  of  several  horses  of  a  national  reputation.  He  w^as  a  traveller,  reader, 
and  man  of  culture.     He  died  at  Cleveland,  on  November  23,  1892. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  417 

ods,  Mr.  Gordon  purchased,  on  the  lake  shore,  to  the 
east  of  the  city,  several  large  tracts  of  land,  and  began  the 
laying  out  of  an  extensive  park.  Landscape  gardeners 
were  employed,  large  forces  of  men  were  set  at  work, 
and  there  was  no  hesitation  at  any  adornment  or  im- 
provement because  of  its  cost.  The  result  was  the  crea- 
tion of  a  park  of  122  acres,  that  in  attractiveness  and 
completeness  of  artistic  finish  finds  few  equals  in  the 
country.  On  Mr.  Gordon's  death,  it  was  found  that  he 
had  left  this  magnificent  monument  of  himself  as  a  gift  to 
the  Citv  of  Cleveland,  free  from  burdensome  conditions. 
The  main  condition  was  that  the  park  should  be  forever 
maintained  as  such,  and  at  all  times  be  kept  open  to  the 
public,  under  the  exclusive  name  of  ' '  Gordon  Park. ' '  The 
title  passed  to  the  city  on  October  23,  1893. 

The  possession  of  two  such  great  breathing  places,  as 
Wade  Park  and  Gordon  Park,  however,  did  not  fill  the 
demand  certain  to  be  made  by  that  Greater  Cleveland, 
which  was  even  then  looming  up  in  the  near  future.  In 
fact,  these  magnificent  donations  but  stimulated  the  pub- 
lic mind,  and  made  the  people  of  Cleveland  determined 
that  other  and  notable  additions  should  be  made,  that  the 
city's  park  department  might  equal  her  other  claims  to 
distinction  and  recognition. 

It  was  seen  that  the  work  of  the  future  must  be  carried 
forward  on  a  broader  plan,  than  had  been  possible  in  the 
past.  The  agitation  in  favor  of  a  comprehensive  system 
of  parks  and  boulevards,  was  carried  on  with  commenda- 
ble spirit.  Several  meetings  of  public-spirited  citizens 
were  held.  A  plan  was  formulated,  and  the  needed  leg- 
islation sought,  the  result  being  the  passage,  on  April 
5,  1893,  of  the  so-called  Park  Act.  This  provided  that  a 
board  of  Park  Commissioners  should  be  formed,  one  of 
whom  should  be  the  mayor  of  the  city,  another  the  presi- 
dent of  the  City  Council,  and  three  appointed  by  the  Sink- 
ing Fund  trustees.  In  accordance  therewith,  the  first 
board  came  into  being  on  April  26,  1893,  and  consisted 
of   Robert    Blee,    mavor   of    Cleveland;    A.    J.    Michael, 


41 8  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

president  of  the  Council;  Charles  H.  Bulkley,  Amos 
Townsend,  and  John  F.  Pankhurst.  ]\lr.  Bulkley  was 
made  president,  and  F.  C.  Bangs  elected  to  the  office  of 
secretary. 

Results  have  already  shown  that  these  gentlemen  un- 
derstood, to  a  large  degree,  the  needs  of  the  situation,  and 
the  importance  of  the  work  that  had  been  entrusted  to 
their  hands.  To  quote  their  own  w^ords:  "  The  general 
plan,  which  they  decided  to  be  one  of  the  best  adapted 
for  achieving  the  ends  aimed  at,  had,  as  its  principal  fea- 
ture, a  large  park  on  the  outskirts  of  the  city,  in  each  of 
the  several  main  sections,  the  same  to  be  so  located,  that, 
in  case  the  future  should  so  determine,  and  the  needs  of 
the  city  so  require,  such  outlying  parks  could  be  readily 
united  and  connected  by  a  broad,  smoothly-paved  boule- 
vard, encircling-  the  city,  thus,  with  the  parks,  forming  a 
chain  of  verdure  around  it."  ~' 

Only  the  briefest  mention  of  the  labors  of  the  commis- 
sion, and  the  results,  as  already  apparent,  is  possible  here. 
The  main  features  are  as  follows :  The  acquisition  of  the 
Doan  Brook  Valley,  from  Wade  Park  to  Lake  Erie,  con- 
necting Wade  and  Gordon  parks;  the  creation  of  Edge- 
water  Park,  containing  eighty-nine  acres,  and  situated  on 
Lake  Erie,  on  the  West  Side,  beginning  at  the  foot  of 
Waverly  avenue ;  the  purchase  of  Brooklyn  Park,  con- 
taining nearly  eighty-one  acres,  and  situated  to  the  west  of 
the  new  Brooklyn-Brighton  viaduct;  the  creation  of  the 
South  End  Park,  in  the  Newburg  of  the  earlier  days, 
containino-  one  hundred  and  f ortv-five  acres ;  the  addition 
of  thirty  acres  to  Gordon  Park,  to  be  used  as  picnic 
grounds ;  the  creation  of  Ambler  Parkway,  containing 
fifty-five  acres,  commencing  at  Cedar  avenue,  and  follow- 
ing the  valley  of  Doan  Brook,  for  a  distance  of  one  and  a 
half  miles,  to  the  Shaker  Heights;  and  Shaker   Heights 

-"  "  Second  Annual  Report  of  the  Board  of  Park  Commissioners,"  1894, 
p.  II.  This  report,  and  that  for  1895,  give  a  detailed  history  of  the  park 
system  as  managed  by  the  commission,  accompanied  by  many  illustra- 
tions, showing  portions  of  the  parks  and  approaches  thereto. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  41Q 

Park,  containing  two  hundred  and  seventy-eight  acres. ^"^ 
A  magnificent  addition  to  the  public  park  system  of 
Cleveland  was  made,  in  1896,  when  John  D.  Rockefeller 
authorized  the  announcement  that  he  had  quietly  deeded 
to  the  citv,  two  hundred  and  seventv-six  acres  of  land, 
worth  $270,000,  for  park  purposes,  and  followed  that  by 
a  cash  donation  of  $300,000,  for  the  purpose  of  complet- 
ing the  boulevard  between  Wade  Park  and  the  park 
lands  on  Shaker  Heights. 

This  announcement  camic  as  a  complete  surprise  to  the 
people  of  Cleveland.  It  was  made  by  J.  O.  W.  Cowles, 
president  of  the  Chamber  of  Coinmerce,  in  the  great  mass 
meeting,  held  on  July  22,  1896,  in  celebration  of  Cleve- 
land's Centennial  birthday.  Mr.  Cowles  explained  the 
gift,  and  its  conditions,  in  these  words:  "On  this.  Found- 
er's Day,  of  our  Centennial  Celebration,  on  behalf  of  the 
Park  Commissioners,  I  am  instructed  to  announce  to  the 
citizens  of  Cleveland,  the  offer  made  to  them,  not  only  of 
the  gift  to  the  city  for  park  purposes,  of  the  lands  pur- 
chased, at  a  cost  of  $270,000,  but  also  to  replace  in  the 
treasury  of  the  park  board,  the  amount  of  $300,000,  paid 
by  said  board,  for  Doan  Brook  lands,  before  such  individ- 
ual purchases  were  undertaken,  making,  in  all,  a  gift  to 
the  City  of  Cleveland  of  two  hundred  and  seventy-six 
acres,  costing  $600,000,  upon  conditions  already  under- 
stood and  approved  in  part,  the  principal  one  being,  that 

-''  The  Park  Commission  lost  two  of  its  ablest  and  most  industrious  mem- 
bers, in  1895.  Hon.  Amos  Townsend,  who  died  at  St.  Augustine,  Fla. , 
on  March  17th,  was  for  many  years  connected  with  the  business  and  pub- 
lic interests  of  Cleveland.  He  was  born  near  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  in  1S31, 
was  in  business  in  Mansfield,  Ohio,  for  a  time,  and  removed  to  Cleve- 
land, in  1S58.  He  was,  for  many  years,  a  member  of  the  wholesale  gro- 
cery firrn  of  Edwards,  Townsend  &  Co. ;  served  for  ten  years  as  a  member 
of  the  City  Cotuicil,  during  seven  of  which  he  filled  the  office  of  president. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  State  Constitutional  Convention  of  1S73;  and  in 
1876  was  elected  to  Congress  by  the  Republicans  of  Cuyahoga  County, 
and  ably  served  in  that  office  for  several  terms.  The  other  loss  to  the 
commission  came  in  the  death  of  its  able  president,  Charles  H.  Bulkle^^ 
who  died  on  December  29,  1S95.  The  vacancies  thus  created  were  filled 
by  the  appointment  of  J.  H.  McBride,  and  L.  E.  Holden ;  Mr.  McBride 
being  elected  to  the  office  of  president. 


420  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

the  whole  amount  of  the  cost  of  these  lands  shall  be  spent 
in  improving  and  beautifying  them,  so  as  to  make  this 
magnificent  addition  to  the  parks  of  Cleveland  speedily 
available  for  the  use,  and  benefit,  and  delight,  of  all  the 
people."  The  sentiment  with  which  Mr.  Cowles  closed 
his  speech  found  an  echo  in  the  hearts  of  Clevelanders, 
everywhere:  "From  this  hour,  in  the  honored  and  noble 
company  of  Wade  and  Gordon,  as  benefactors  of  their  fel- 
low citizens  and  fellow  men,  in  our  hearts  with  gratitude, 
and  upon  our  lips  with  praise,  will  be  the  name  of  the 
giver  of  this  princely  gift,  John  D.  Rockefeller." 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Park  Commissioners,  held  on  Au- 
gust 5,  1896,  there  came  yet  another  surprise,  of  a  like 
welcome  character,  in  the  public  announcement  that 
Patrick  Calhoun  had  donated  to  the  city  a  strip  of  land, 
having  over  four  hundred  feet  frontage  on  Euclid  avenue, 
beginning  at  Fairmount  street,  and  running  parallel  to 
the  land  given  by  Mr.  Rockefeller,  as  far  as  Cedar  avenue, 
thence  along  Doan  Brook  Valley,  to  and  through  Cedar 
Glen.  This  has  made  possible  the  dream  of  the  commis- 
sioners—  the  construction  of  a  circular  park,  on  Euclid 
avenue,  near  Fairmount  street,  as  the  grand  entrance  to 
what  will,  eventually,  be  one  of  the  most  beautiful  park 
systems  in  the  world. 

In  1 87 1,  the  office  of  city  auditor  was  created,  and 
Thomas  Jones,  Jr.,  elected  to  the  position.  Prior  to  that 
time,  the  duties  belonging  to  such  department  had  been 
performed  by  the  city  clerk,  who  was  an  officer  of  the  City 
Council,  and  under  its  direct  control.  The  new  depar- 
ture served  as  a  check  upon  extravagance,  and  a  safeguard 
against  the  misappropriation  of  funds,  as  the  new  official 
took  the  stand,  and  maintained  it,  that  no  warrants  on  the 
treasury  could  be  legally  drawn,  unless  the  money  to  pay 
such  warrant  was  "  already  in  the  treasury,  and  to  the 
credit  of  the  proper  fund,  to  which  it  should  be  charged." 

The  wisdom  of  that  position  has  been  fully  proved,  by 
the  subsequent  financial  history  of  Cleveland. 

The  growth  of  Cleveland,  by  accessions  to  her  popula- 


O 

OS 

o 

O 


> 

< 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  421 

tion  by  immigratioQ,  had  been  steady,  and  the  time  now 
came  when  her  borders  were  to  be  measurably  increased, 
by  annexations.  East  Cleveland  had  become,  in  all  es- 
sential features,  a  portion  of  the  city  in  fact,  and  it  was 
thought,  on  both  sides  of  the  line,  that  it  should  become 
also  a  part  in  name,  and  in  government.  When  the  pre- 
liminary steps  had  been  taken,  the  question  of  annexation 
was  submitted  to  the  voters  of  Cleveland,  in  April,  1872, 
and  received  7,240  votes  in  favor,  to  2,885  opposed.  The 
East  Cleveland  vote  upon  the  same  question  resulted  in 
268  in  favor,  and  198  opposed.  Henry  B.  Payne,  J.  P. 
Robison,  and  John  Huntington,  were  appointed  as  com- 
missioners for  Cleveland,  and  John  E.  Hurlbut,  John  W. 
Heisley,  and  William  A.  Neff  for  East  Cleveland.  It 
was  agreed  that  all  liabilities  of  the  section  to  be  an- 
nexed should  be  assumed  by  the  city,  with  the  exception 
of  assessments  for  local  improvements  already  made,  that 
should  be  paid  as  already  provided ;  that  the  annexed  dis- 
trict should  be  divided  into  two  wards ;  and  that  within 
eighteen  months  the  city  should  expend,  in  those  wards, 
not  less  than  seventy-five  thousand  dollars,  in  extension 
of  water  pipe,  fire  service,  and  other  improvements.  This 
agreement  was  approved  on  October  29,  1872,  and  the 
two  communities  became  one,  in  law. 

East  Cleveland  was  hardly  safe  in  the  municipal  fold, 
before  the  village  of  Newburg  came  clamoring  for  admis- 
sion. A  meeting  of  its  citizens  was  held  on  August  4, 
1873,  at  which  resolutions  were  adopted,  which  declared 
that  the  time  had  come  "when  the  necessity  and  future 
welfare  of  the  people  "  imperatively  demanded  the  bene- 
fits of  village  or  city  corporation,  and  that  the  best  means 
of  obtaining  that  end,  was  by  annexation  to  the  City  of 
Cleveland. 

A  committee  of  three,  E.  T.  Hamilton,  A.  Topping, 
and  Joseph  Turney,  were  appointed  to  present  a  petition 
to  the  Cleveland  City  Council,  looking  to  this  end.  John 
Huntington,  H.  H.  Thorpe,  and  A.  T.  Van  Tassel,  were 
appointed  to  represent  the  Council  in   the   matter.     The 


422  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

question  was  submitted  to  the  voters  of  Newburg,  and 
carried,  and  before  the  end  of  the  year  named,  Newburg 
constituted  the  Eighteenth  Ward  of  Cleveland. 

The  legal  business  of  the  Cuyahoga  Common  Pleas 
Court  had  so  grown  by  1873,  that  increased  facilities  of 
some  character  became  a  matter  of  absolute  necessity. 
The  plan  suggested  was  the  establishment  of  a  Superior 
Court,  on  the  plan  of  one  then  existing  in  Cincinnati, 
which  should  have  jurisdiction  for  civil  cases  only,  com- 
ing from  the  City  of  Cleveland,  exclusive  of  the  rest  of 
Cuyahoga  County.  An  act  was  accordingly  passed  by  the 
Legislature  on  May  5,  1873,  creating  said  court,  to  consist 
of  three  judges,  who  should  hold  ofhce  for  five  years.  At 
a  special  election  held  in  June,  Seneca  O.  Griswold,  James 
M.  Jones,  and  Gershom  M.  Barber  were  elected  such 
judges.  The  brief  history  of  this  court  is  thus  graphically 
told,  by  one  who  was  an  honored  member  thereof:  ^^  "The 
expectation  that  the  two  courts  would  be  able  to  do  the 
judicial  work  of  the  county,  as  then  organized,  was  not  re- 
alized. The  business  of  the  country,  which  had  enjoyed 
an  unheard-of  prosperity,  met  with  a  sudden  and  un- 
looked-for check.  On  the  i8th  of  September,  1873,  the 
most  extraordinary  financial  panic  that  the  country  had 
ever  experienced,  began.  Failures  of  manufacturing  and 
commercial  establishments  took  place  in  every  part  of  the 
country.  Laborers  all  over  the  country  were  thrown  out 
of  employment,  and  what  had  never  before  been  experi- 
enced in  Cleveland,  the  savings  banks  substantially  closed 
their  doors,  and  even  the  bonds  of  the  citv  sold  at  ruinous 
discount.  The  result  upon  the  work  of  the  courts  was 
soon  apparent,  and  in  less  than  two  years  both  courts  were 
overcrowded  with  business,  and  imiuediate  relief  was  re- 
quired. On  the  25th  of  March,  1875,  an  act  was  passed 
by  the  Legislature  entitled  'an  Act  to  facilitate  the  Admin- 
istration of  justice  in  Cuyahoga  County,'  by  which  the 
Superior  Court  was  abolished,  to  take  effect  on  the  ist  of 

-•  "  The  Superior  Courts, "  by  Hon.  G.  M.  Barber.—"  Bench  and  Bar  of 
Cleveland,"  p    50. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  423 

July  following,  and  its  business  transferred  to  the  Court 
of  Common  Pleas,  and  by  the  same  act  four  additional 
judges  were  added  to  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas,  to  be 
elected  at  the  regular  State  election,  in  October  of  that 
year.  At  that  election,  two  of  the  judges  of  the  Superior 
Court,  Hon.  James  M.  Jones  and  Hon.  G.  M.  Barber,  were 
elected  to  seats  on  the  bench  of  the  Court  of  Common 
Pleas,  both  of  whom  served  two  successive  terms  in  that 
court,  and  are  now  in  active  practice.  Judge  Seneca  O. 
Griswold,  on  the  termination  of  the  Superior  Court,  re- 
turned to  practice,  and  until  his  health  failed,  was  recog- 
nized as  one  of  the  ablest  members  of  the  Cuyahoga 
County  bar." 

The  general' financial  difficulties,  to  which  Judge  Barber 
refers  in  the  above,  were  the  most  severe  that  had  been  ex- 
perienced since  1857,  and  were  largely  caused  by  the  same 
combination  of  circumstances  that  brought  about  the 
panic  of  1837.  General  speculation,  excessive  inflation, 
and  the  projection  of  far  more  railroads  than  were  needed, 
combined  with  the  actual  shrinkage  from  war  prices, 
worked  together  for  the  crash  that  was  started  on  that 
memorable  day,  when  Jay  Cooke  &  Co.,  of  Philadelphia, 
went  down.  Business  everywhere  received  a  severe 
check,  there  were  failures  in  all  directions,  and  from  four 
to  six  years  passed  before  the  country  really  recovered. 
■Cleveland,  like  other  cities,  felt  the  blow,  but  had  so  far 
advanced  in  wealth  and  manufacturing  importance  that 
the  shock  was  but  temporary.  Not  a  bank  was  compelled 
to  sUvSpend.  The  most  severe  effects  were  felt  upon  real 
estate  values,  which  wild  speculation  had  inflated  beyond 
all  reason,  and  many  projects  for  pushing  the  limits  of  the 
city  far  beyond  the  demands  of  the  day,  went  suddenly  to 
pieces,  at  the  first  touch  of  the  storm. 

One  of  the  leading  features  of  1874  was  the  great 
woman's  crusade  against  the  liquor  traffic.  This  phenom- 
enal movement  had  its  commencement  in  Hillsborough, 
O.,  in  December,  1873,  when  Dr.  Dio  Lewis,  of  Boston, 
•delivered  an  address  on  temperance,   in   which   he   sug- 


424  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

gested  that ' '  the  work  of  temperance  reform  might  be  suc- 
cessfully carried  on  by  women,  if  they  would  set  about  it 
in  the  right  manner  —  going  to  the  saloon-keeper,  in  a 
spirit  of  Christian  love,  and  persuading  him,  for  the  sake 
of  humanity  and  his  own  welfare,  to  quit  the  business." 
When  the  speaker  asked  if  the  ladies  present  were  ready 
to  undertake  the  labor,  scores  of  them  arose  in  pledge  for 
the  undertaking.  On  the  day  following,  a  number  of  them 
met  at  the  church,  and  after  services  filed  out  two  by  two, 
called  at  the  nearest  saloon,  where  prayer  was  offered,  and 
then  went  on  to  other  places,  which  were  visited  in  a  like 
manner.  vSaloon-keepers,  inn-keepers,  and  druggists  were 
all  asked  to  sign  the  pledge  and  quit  the  business.  The 
plan  was  soon  followed  in  other  places,  and  before  long 
these  "praying  bands"  w^ere  seen  in  all  parts  of  the  State. ~^ 
The  movement  reached  Cleveland  on  March  lo,  1874, 
when  a  meeting  was  called  under  the  auspices  of  the 
Women's  Christian  Association.  vSix  hundred  women  re- 
sponded, among  them  the  leaders  of  thought,  the  most 
active  in  church  work,  the  most  cultured  to  be  found  in 
the  city.  A  Temperance  League  was  formed,  with  Miss 
Sarah  Fitch  as  president.  Pledge  books  were  obtained, 
the  city  districted,  and  praying  bands  sent  out.  "  In  a 
short  time,"  to  quote  from  the  official  report  of  the  Cru- 
sade, "over  five  thousand  were  enrolled  members  of  the 
league,  each  one  signing  a  pledge  neither  to  use  intox- 
icants nor  offer  them  as  a  beverage,  and  to  discounte- 
nance their  use  in  every  possible  way ;  and  about  ten  thou- 
sand names  to  all  the  other  pledges."  The  first  visit  was 
to  a  saloon  on  the  Public  Square,  on  ]March  17th,  by  a 
band  of  twenty-two,  led  by  Mrs.  W.  A.  Ingham.  The 
work  was  carried  on  for  weeks,  with  only  one  or  two  dis- 
turbances of  note,  which  were  quickly  subdued  by  procla- 
mation of  Mayor  Otis,  and  the  efficient  work  of  the  police. 
To    continue    the    above    record :     ' '  During    these    three 

-*  The  full  history  of  this  movement  maj'  be  found  in  the  following 
work:  "  History  of  the  Woman's  Temperance  Crusade,"  by  Mrs.  Annie 
Wittenmyer;  with  an  introduction  by  Frances  E.  Willard. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  423 

months  of  crusade  work,  three  distilleries,  eight  breweries, 
thirty-one  drug  stores,  thirty-five  hotels,  forty  wholesale 
dealers,  and  one  thousand  one  hundred  saloons  were 
visited,  many  of  them  again  and  again.  Four  hundred 
and  fifty  of  these  places  often  admitted  the  band  for  serv- 
ices. There  were  seventv  out-door  meetings  in  ware- 
houses,  etc.  Mass  meetings  on  the  Sabbath,  conducted  by 
women,  were  held  in  wigwams  in  different  wards,  as  well 
as  churches,  and  always  crowded."  A  closed  saloon  on 
River  street  was  converted  into  a  home  for  temperance 
and  general  rescue  work,  under  the  name  of  the  River 
Street  Friendly  Inn.  Other  institutions  of  a  like  character 
were  opened  in  various  parts  of  the  city,  and  some  of 
them  have  found  permanent  work  and  locations,  and  are 
ranked  among  the  most  elScient  of  the  reformatory  and 
moral  agencies  of  the  city.  The  Young  Ladies'  Temper- 
ance League  was  also  one  of  the  direct  results  of  this  sea- 
son of  temperance  labor. 

The  most  direct  and  permanent  result  of  this  crusade, 
however,  came  in  the  establishment  of  the  Woman's  Chris- 
tian Temperance  L^nion,  which  was  organized  as  the 
Woman's  Christian  League,  and  incorporated  imder  that 
name  in  1880,  making  the  change  of  appellation  in  1883. 
This  great  LTnion  has,  in  many  ways,  worked  for  the  good 
of  the  community,  in  lines  of  temperance,  and  religious 
and  benevolent  labor. 

The  holding  of  the  nineteenth  Saengerfest,  in  1874,  was 
an  event  which  illustrated  the  great  importance  of  the 
German  element  in  Cleveland,  and  its  ability  to  carry  out 
any  undertaking  to  which  it  was  committed.  A  stock 
company  was  raised,  and  sixty  thousand  dollars  paid  in, 
with  which  a  large  structure  was  erected  on  Euclid  avenue, 
between  Case  and  Sterling  avenues,  with  a  capacity  of  fif- 
teen hundred  on  the  stage,  and  nine  thousand  in  the  audi- 
torium. The  week  from  June  22nd  to  29th  was  given 
over  to  orchestral  and  vocal  music  of  the  highest  char- 
acter, participated  in  by  German  singing  societies  from 
all  parts  of  the  country. 


426 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


The  Opening  of  the  newly-erected  Euclid  Avenue  Opera 
House,  on  September  6,  1875,  was  in  the  direction  of 
better  amusements,  and  provided  a  place  of  entertainment 
in  keeping  with  the  size  and  culture  of  modern  Cleveland, 
Avhich  had  long  outgrown  "  Brainard's  Hall,"  and  the  old 
"Academy  of  Music,"  on  Bank  street.  The  movement 
for  securing  this  needed  dramatic  temple  was  set  on  foot 
by  John  A.  Ellsler,  who  gave  his  time,  and  so  pledged 
his  means,  that  when  it  proved  to  be  otherwise  than  a 
financial  success,  he  lost  the  accumulations  of  a  life  of  de- 
votion to  his  chosen 
profession. 

A  retrospective 
glance  at  Cleveland, 
from  the  theatrical 
standpoint,  will  be  of 
interest.  In  1820, 
when  yet  a  straggling 
village  of  five  hun- 
dred souls,  Cleveland 
was  visited  by  its 
first  theatrical  troupe. 
This  was  managed  by 
an  actor  named  Blan- 
chard,  and  as  there 
was  no  other  suitable 
place,  the  perform- 
ances, which  lasted  a  week,  were  given  in  the  ball-room 
of  the  Cleveland  House,  which  stood  where  the  Forest 
City  House  is  now.  After  that,  there  were  many  perform- 
ances of  this  nature  in  the  ball-room,  and  later  in  the  old 
brick  courthouse  on  the  Square.  Here  Shakespeare  was 
first  given  in  1831.  The  first  building,  especially  erected 
for  a  theatre,  was  at  the  corner  of  Union  lane  and  Superior 
street  hill.  It  was  built  by  Samuel  and  William  Cook. 
The  theatre  was  on  the  second  floor,  a  room  about  70  by 
50  feet,  and  was  poorly  equipped  for  its  purpose.  Early 
in  the  thirties,* Italian ^Hall^was  built,   on  Water  street. 


EUCLID    AVENUE   OPERA    HOUSE. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


427 


where  the  Avholesale  grocery  of  William  Edwards  &  Co. 
now  stands.  It  was  of  brick,  three  stories  high,  and  the 
theatre  was  on  the  top  floor.  In  1839,  Mechanics'  Hall,  at 
the  corner  of  Prospect  and  Ontario  streets,  was  htted  up 
as  a  theatre,  but  the  enterprise  was  unsuccessful.  The 
Water  Street  Theatre  was  built,  in  1848,  by  John  S.  Potter. 
It  stood  on  the  present  site  of  the  New  England  House, 
and  was  a  magnificent  structure  for  the  times.  It  had  a 
front  of  sixty  feet,  a  spacious  pit,  two  tiers  of  boxes  and 
four  private  boxes,  and  seated  over  a  thousand  people.  It 
was  destroyed  by  fire  in  1850.  Watson's  Hall  was  built  in 
1840,  by  J.  W.  Watson,  on 
Superior  street,  where  the 
Wilshire  Building  is  now  lo- 
cated. In  1845,  Silas  Brainard 
bought  it,  and  changed  the 
name  to  Melodeon  Hall,  by 
which  title  it  was  known  iin- 


..^- 


JOHN    A.    ELLSLER. 


til  i860,  when  it  was  called 
Brainard 's  Hall.  It  was  af- 
terwards known  as  Brai- 
nard's  Opera  House,  and  the 
Globe  Theatre  ;  it  was  torn 
down  in  1880. 

The  most  famous  pla)"- 
house  in  the  city  was  the 
Academy  of  Music,  on  Bank  street.  It  was  built  in  1852, 
by  Charles  Foster,  who  ran  it  for  a  short  time,  and  then, 
on  account  of  bad  business,  leased  it  to  John  A.  EUsler,  Jr. 
On  its  boards,  the  most  famous  actors  of  the  world  ap- 
peared, and  from  its  stock  company  many  of  to-day's  great 
actors  were  graduated.  It  was  partly  destroyed  by  fire 
on  June  30,  1889,  but  was  rebuilt,  only  to  suffer  entire 
destruction  from  the  same  cause,  on  September  8,  1892. 
It  was  again  rebuilt,  in  a  cheap  way,  and  is  now  used  as 
a  variety  house.  Shortly  after  the  building  of  the  Acad- 
emy of  Music,  P.  T.  Barnum  started  a  theatre  in  the  Kelley 
Block,  on  Superior  street.     It  was  afterwards  managed  by 


428  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

A.  Montpelier  as  a  variety  theatre,  until  he  assumed 
charge  of  the  Theatre  Comique.  Then  it  was  converted 
into  offices.  The  Theatre  Comique  was  built  by  G.  Over- 
acher,  in  1848,  and  was  a  prosperous  theatre  until  the 
Academy  of  Music  came  into  existence,  when  the  com- 
petition proved  disastrous.  It  was  then  run  as  a  variety 
show  by  A.  Montpelier,  and  after  he  retired  was  continued 
on  the  same  lines  by  his  successors.  It  was  torn  down 
some  years  ago. 

In  1875,  John  A.  Ellsler,  Jr.,  as  before  stated,  formed 
a  stock  company,  and  built  the  Euclid  Avenue  Opera 
House,  at  a  cost  of  $200,000.  It  was  opened  September 
6,  1875,  with  Mr.  Ellsler  as  manager,  and  he  continued  in 
charge  tmtil  1878,  when  poor  business  compelled  him  to 
abandon  management,  and  the  house.  It  was  then  sold 
at  sheriff's  sale,  to  Marcus  A.  Hanna,  its  present  owner. 
October  24,  1892,  this  theatre  was  destroyed  by  fire,  but  it 
was  immediately  rebuilt  by  Mr,  Hanna,  on  a  grander  scale 
than  before,  and  was  reopened  on  September  11,  1893. 

The  Park  Theatre,  built  by  Henry  Wick  &  Co.,  and 
managed  by  Augustus  F.  Hartz,  was  dedicated  October 
22,  1883.  Fire  destroyed  it  Januarys,  1884.  It  was  re- 
built and  reopened  vSeptember  6,  1886.  It  is  now  known 
as  the  Lyceum  Theatre.  The  Cleveland  Theatre  was 
built  in  1885,  by  Charles  H.  Bulkley,  and  was  formally 
opened  October  19,  1885.  It  was  destroyed  by  fire  De- 
cember 7,  1 891,  but  was  rebuilt  at  once,  and  reopened 
March  21,1 892 .  The  Star  Theatre  was  built  by  Walde- 
mar  Otis,  and  was  opened  September  12,  1887.  It  was 
first  known  as  the  Columbia  Theatre,  but  took  the  present 
title  in  1889.  The  People's  Theatre  was  once  a  skating 
rink,  but  was  opened  as  a  theatre  January  26,  1885.  It 
was  made  over,  for  a  business  block,  in  1887. 

Of  the  minor  places  of  amusement.  Case  Hall,  now 
turned  into  offices,  was  the  most  famous,  and  all  the  great 
musicians  of  the  past  thirty  years  appeared  there.  Also 
there  are  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  Hall,  Music  Hall,  and  various 
smaller  halls  used  for  concerts  and  the  like. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  42g 

The  National  Centennial  year,  1876,  was  ushered  in 
with  a  welcome,  the  like  of  which  the  city  had  never  before 
witnessed,  and  in  which  all  the  people  participated.  An 
official  invitation  had  been  issued  to  the  public  at  large,  by 
the  niavor  and  City  Council,  to  attend  an  informal  mid- 
night reception  at  the  City  Hall,  which  was  elaborately 
decorated  for  the  occasion.  A  clear  sky,  and  weather  of 
almost  June  warmth,  invited  to  outdoor  exercise,  and  at 
an  early  hour  of  the  evening  the  streets  were  filled  with 
people.  As  eleven  o'clock  approached,  a  myriad  of  lights 
began  to  show  around  the  Public  vSquare,  and  when  the 
clock  struck,  all  the  lower  part  of  the  city  burst  into  a 
blaze  of  illumination.  The  signal  was  taken  up  in  all 
directions,  and  street  after  street,  clear  out  to  the  sub- 
urbs, added  to  the  brightness  and  enthusiastic  effect  of 
the  scene. 

On  the  stroke  of  twelve,  the  steam  whistles  all  over  the 
city,  broke  into  one  vast  chorus  of  echoing  notes.  A  great 
cauldron  of  oil  on  the  Public  Square  was  set  ablaze,  and 
the  deep  boom  of  the  guns  was  heard.  Before  the  echo 
died  away,  a  perfect  tornado  of  sound  swept  in  from  all 
quarters,  and  made  the  very  foundations  of  the  earth  seem 
to  shake.  The  alarm  of  the  fire  bells  cleft  the  air  with 
sudden  sound,  and  a  dozen  church  towers  gave  answer, 
while  the  hoarse  voices  of  the  steam  monsters,  the  bang- 
ing of  firearms,  the  popping  of  firecrackers,  and  the  shouts 
of  thousands  of  excited  people,  were  added  to  the  chorus, 
while  every  now  and  then  the  deep  boom  of  the  cannon 
came  in  as  a  heavy  accompaniment. 

The  main  events  of  the  year  thus  patriotically  ushered 
in,  can  be  briefly  noted.  At  daybreak,  on  July  4th,  the 
great  steel  flagstaff  ~''  on  the  Public  Square,  erected  by 
private  generosity,  was  formally  delivered  to  the  city, 
through  Mayor  N.  P.  Payne,  and  other  exercises  of  a  pa- 

-'■' This  is  said  to  have  been  the  first  flagstaff  of  Bessemer  steel  ever 
erected.  It  was  the  gift  of  Henry  Chisholm,  on  behalf  of  the  Cleveland 
Rolling  Mill  Company ;  was  placed  in  position  near  the  center  of  the 
Square  by  David  Price  and  James  Pannell :  and  inspired  a  stirring  poem 


43° 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


MAYOR    NATHAN    P.    PAYNE. 


triotic  character  marked  the  hundredth  anniversary  of  the 
nation's  independence.  Other  features  of  the  year  were 
the  opening  of  Riverside  Cemetery,  already  described ;  and 
a  Police  Life  and  Health  Fund,  created  by  act  of  the  Legis- 
lature to  provide  pensions  for  disabled  police  officers,  or 

aid  for  the  families  of  those 
fatally  injured  in  the  dis- 
charge of  duty. 

The  year  also  saw  the  solu- 
tion of  the  problem  of  electric 
lighting,  by  Charles  F.  Brush, 
a  Clevelander,  who,  in  this 
year,  perfected  the  dynamo 
that  is  the  foundation  of  the 
lighting  systein  known  by  his 
name  the  world  over.  Charles 
F.  Brush  '^^  and  his  work  de- 
serve more  than  a  passing 
mention,  as  this  great  inven- 
tion gave  him  immediate  rank  among  the  great  inventors 
of  the  age.      He  had  commenced  life  in  Cleveland  as  an 

from  the  pen  of  F.  T.  Wallace  ("Men  and  Events  of  Half  a  Century "), 
a  stanza  or  so  of  which  are  here  quoted : 

The  banner  that  a  hundred  years 
Has  waved  above  our  good  ship's  keel, 
Upheld  by  oak  or  mast  of  pine. 
Now  proudly  floats  from  staff  of  steel. 
Soon  Lakeview,  Woodland,  Riverside 
Will  keep  the  graves  where  kindred  kneel — 
Of  all  who  now  salute  the  stars 
That  wave  above  that  staff"  of  steel. 

And  in  remoter  ages  still, 

The  antiquary's  worthy  zeal 

AVill  note  the  tombs  and  mural  stones 

Of  those  who  gave  that  staff  of  steel  ! 

2"  Charles  F.  Brush  was  born  in  Euclid,  Ohio,  on  March  17,  1S49.  He 
attended  the  schools  of  Cleveland,  and  pursued  a  special  course  at  Ann 
Arbor,  Mich. ,  graduating  in  1 86g,  as  a  mniing  engmeer.  As  a  boy,  he  was  al- 
ways experimenting,  and  at  work  with  batteries,  magnets,  and  other  mechan- 
ical and  electrical  appliances.  He  never  experimented,  however,  for  the 
mere  pleasure  of  toying  with  the  forces  of  nature.    Each  model  that  found 


-/■///•;  HISTOR)-  OF  CLEVELAND.  4jr 


analytical  chemist,  in  1872,  when  the  Cleveland  Telegraph 
Supply  c^  Manufacturing  Company  was  formed,  and  being 
called  upon  by  that  organization  to  do  some  special  scien- 
tific work,  became  deeply  interested  in  the  subject  of  elec- 
tricity. An  arrangement  of  mutual  assistance  and  co- 
operation was  made  between  the  company  and  himself, 
and  he  set  to  work  to  solve  the  question  of  electrical  light- 
ing. Within  a  few  weeks,  he  completed  his  first  attempt, 
performing  the  greater  part  of  the  mechanical  labor  with 
his  own  hands.  Before  exhibiting  it  to  his  associates,  he 
took  it  out  to  his  father's  farm,  east  of  the  city,  and  tested 
it  with  a  horse-power,  used  in  the  farm  labor.  Having 
seen  it  work  to  his  satisfaction,  he  again  loaded  it  into  his 
buggy,  and  took  it  to  the  Supply  works,  w^here  it  was  set 
up  in  a  corner.  It  was  then  put  in  circuit  with  a  clock- 
work lamp,  and  froin  the  first  it  worked  to  the  perfect  sat- 
isfaction of  all  concerned,  and  for  many  years  afterwards 
was  in  constant  and  practical  operation.  It  is  a  fact 
worthy  of  note,  that  the  Brush  machine,  of  its  most  suc- 
cessful pattern,  showed  no  change  from  this  first  produc- 
tion in  the  principles  of  construction  or  in  general  scien- 
tific plans.  This  first  working  machine  w^as  constructed 
without  a  model,  after  the  plan  which  had  definitely  and 
permanently  shaped  itself  in  the  inventor's  head,  before  he 
had  made  a  pattern  or  lifted  a  finger  toward  its  mechanical 
execution.  The  first  machine  gave  one  light  of  about 
three  hundred  candle  power.  Mr.  Brush  supplemented  the 
machine  with  the  invention  of  an  accompanying  lamp, 
which  was  also  a  marvel  of  completeness,  for  the  work  for 
which  it  was  intended.  Through  the  commercial  enter- 
prise of  the  Brush  Electric  Company  (which  appeared  as 
successor  of  the  organization  above  named),  under  the  effi- 
cient management  of  George  W.  Stockly,  the  new  inven- 

construction  at  his  hands,  must  have  not  only  a  use,  and  a  power  to  per- 
form some  portion  of  the  world's  labor,  but  also  be  an  answer  to  some  ex- 
pressed demand.  This  trait  of  character  has  found  expression  all  through 
the  labors  of  Mr.  Brush,  and  is  one  of  the  marks  that  set  him  apart  from 
the  main  body  of  the  world's  great  inventors. 


432 


THE  msroRv  of  Cleveland. 


tion  was  pushed  with  great  energy,  and  an  immense  and 
wonderfully  successful  business  built  up.  While  the  total 
sales  of  1877  reached  but  thirty-five  thousand  dollars, 
those  of  1882  had  reached  over  two  million. 

At  the  very  close  of  this  Centennial  year,  which  had 
been  ushered  in  amid  such  rejoicings,  there  occurred,  so 
near  to  Cleveland  as  to  become  a  part  of  its  record,  one  of 
the  most  terrible  railroad  accidents  ever  recorded.  On 
the  evening  of  Friday,  December  29,  1876,  in  the  midst  of 
a  fierce  snow  and  wind  storm,  a  heavily  laden  passenger 
train  on  the   Lake   Shore  &  Michigan  vSouthern  Railway 


FOREST    CITY    HOUSE,     IS76. 


went  down  with  the  bridge  it  was  crossing,  into  the  ravine 
of  the  Ashtabula  River,  and  a  hundred  and  more  passen- 
gers met  instant  death,  while  scores  of  others  weVe  injured. 
The  train  was  late,  and  two  engines  were  hardly  able  to 
drag  it  through  the  blinding  storm.  It  consisted  of  two 
express  cars,  two  baggage  cars,  two  day  passenger 
coaches,  a  smoking  car,  a  drawing-room  car,  and  three 
sleepers.  The  passenger  cars  were  all  filled  with  travel- 
ers, most  of  whom  were  going  to,  or  returning  from,  events 
connected  with  the  happy  holiday  season.  The  crash 
came  without  warning,  and  in  an  instant  the  bridge  and 
train  lay  a  ruin,  in  the  bed  of  the  ice  gorge  below,  and  a 


THE  HISTOR  1 '  OF  CIJ-l  J -RLAXD.  4^3 

moment  later  fire  broke  forth,  to  complete  the  work  of 
death. 

It  was  a  scene  that  no  pen  can  describe,  and  there  is 
no  need  for  the  re-telling.  The  citizens  and  firemen  of 
Ashtabula  did  all  that  lay  in  their  power.  A  relief  train 
was  sent  as  soon  as  possible  from  Cleveland.  The  railroad 
authorities  worked  with  herculean  powers  for  the  relief  of 
the  suffering,  and  the  preservation  of  the  remains  of  the 
dead.  Every  house,  and  office,  and  saloon,  at  Ashtabula 
Station  became  a  hospital  for  the  night.  It  was  an  awful 
night,  the  cold  and  storm  adding  their  terrors  to  those  of 
fire  and  suffering  and  death. '^^ 

The  military  spirit  of  Cleveland,  seems  to  have  experi- 
enced a  sudden  revival  in  1877,  if  we  may  Judge  from  the 
practical  results.  In  that  year,  the  Fifteenth  Regiment 
Ohio  National  Guard  was  organized,  largelv  through  the 
efforts  of  Colonel  A.  T.  Brinsmade,  then  an  aid  on  the 
staff  of  Governor  Hayes.  It  was  at  first  composed  of  the 
Brooklyn  Blues,  the  Emmett  Guards,  the  Veteran  (ruards, 
the  F-orest  City  Guards,  the  Townsend  Guards,  and  the 
Buckeye  Guards.  The  regiment  was  organized  in  June, 
with  the  following  officers:  Colonel,  A.  T.  Brinsmade; 
Licutcuant-Coloicl,  George  A.  ]\IcKay ;  Major,  Henry  Rich- 
ardson ;  Surgeon,  ]o\iViY .  Gibson,  M.D.  ;  Assistaitt-Snrgeoii, 
R.  W.  Stannard,  M.D.  ;  Adjiitoi/t,  George  B.  Huston;  Quar- 
termaster.  George  D.  vScott  ;  Chaplain ,  Rev.  James  A. 
Bolles.  The  regiment  M^as  soon  increased  to  ten  com- 
panies, by  the  accession  of  the  Chagrin  Falls  Guards,  of 
Chagrin  Falls  ;  the  Hart  Guards,  of  Elyria  ;  the  Berea 
Guards,  of  Berea,  and  the  Washington  Guards,  of  Cleve- 
land. The  Cleveland  Gatling-Gun  Battery  was  also  organ- 
ized in  1877.  the  citizens  of  the  city  having  provided  two 
gatling-guns  for  their  use.  The  first  officers  were  :  Captain, 
W.  F.  Goodspeed;  /lieutenant,  Frank  Wilson  ;  Orderly  Ser- 
geant, Thomas  Goodwillie;  Guar  ter  mast  er-Seroeant,  J  ..Ford 
Evans.     All  of  the  members  w^ere  well-known  gentlemen, 


•*'  A  complete  narrative  of   this  great  event  may  be  found  in  the  follow- 
ing work:   "  The  Ashtabula  Disaster,"  by  Rev.  Stephen  D.  Peet. 


434  THE  HIS  TOR  \ '  OF  CLE  VELA  XD. 


and  the  aim,  from  the  beginning,  has  been  to  keep  the  bat- 
tery up  to  a  high  standing,  in  both  a  military  and  social 
way.  Still  another  military  organization  that  saw  a  be- 
ginning in  1877,  was  the  First  Cleyeland  Troop,  which  was 
created  on  September  10.  A  meeting  of  a  number  of 
citizens  was  held  in  Weisgerber's  Hall  on  that  date,  and 
was  presided  oyer  by  Colonel  W.  H.  Harris.  It  was 
decided  that  a  cayalry  company  should  be  formed,  and  the 
organization  was  perfected  on  October  loth,  by  the  election 
of:  Captiniii,  W.  H.  Harris;  First-Licutciiant,  E.  S.  Meyer; 
Second  Licuiciiaiit ,  George  A.  Garrettson;  First  Sergeant^ 
Charles  D.  Gaylor;  Surgeon,  Frank  Wells,  M.D.  There 
were  forty  original  members,  and  the  preamble  to  the 
constitution  declared  that  the  troop  was  created  so  that 
the  members  might  "perfect  themselves  in  horsemanship, 
in  the  use  of  arms,  and  in  military  exercise."  In  1878, 
the  troop  took  possession  of  its  own  fine  brick  armory,  on 
Euclid  ayenue.  near  Case  ayenue,  and  in  1884  removed  to 
more  commodious  quarters,  on  Willson  avenue.  It  long 
since  took  high  rank  among  the  leading  independent  mili- 
tary organizations  of  the  country. 

It  was  thought,  in  the  summer  of  1877,  that  there  would 
be  immediate  need  not  only  of  the  newly  organized  Fif- 
teenth Regiment,  but  of  such  other  military  assistance  as 
could  be  secured.  The  great  railroad  strike  of  that  year 
will  be  long  remeinbered,  not  only  for  the  actual  damage 
that  resulted,  but  also  because  of  the  greater  dangers  that 
were  threatened.  The  terrible  destruction  of  railroad  prop- 
erty in  Pittsburg,  by  the  mob  that  took  advantage  of  the 
strike  disturbances,  caused  dismay  in  other  cities  to  which 
the  strike  had  extended.  It  reached  Cleveland  on  July  2 2d, 
when  five  hundred  men,  in  the  employ  of  the  Lake  Shore 
&  Michigan  Southern  Railway  Company,  ceased  work,  and 
by  their  absence,  left  the  business  of  the  road  almost  at  a 
standstill.  Travel  and  transportation  were  for  the  time 
paralyzed,  thousands  of  men  were  thrown  out  of  employ- 
ment, and  a  state  of  anxiety  as  to  what  might  come  next 
prevailed.     The  strikers  themselves  were  quiet  and  law- 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CI. EV ELAND. 


435 


abiding,  and  their  leaders  counseled  them  to  prevent  all 
acts  of  violence,  so  far  as  lay  within  their  power,  but  there 
was  danger  that  the  lawless  and  criminal  classes  might 
find  their  opportunity  for  outbreak,  in  the  public  excite- 
ment, and  the  unrest  of  labor. 

The  discretion  and  wisdom  of  Mayor  William  G.  Rose, 
and  his  associates  in  the  city  government,  were  brought 
into  play  in  a  most  admirable  manner.  Counseling  peace 
and  moderation,  upon  the  part  of  all,  sympathizing  with 
the  railroad  men  in  such  demands  as  were  just,  and  at  the 
same  time  showing  them  that  violence  would  not  be  toler- 
ated ;  preparing  for  the  worst, 
and  making  arrangements  to 
meet  it  with  vigor  ;  they  carried 
the  city  through  two  weeks  of 
danger,  without  the  striking  of  a 
blow,  or  a  dollar's  damage  to 
public  property.  The  authori- 
ties made  no  parade  of  their 
preparation  ;  not  a  drum  tap  was 
heard,  nor  a  body  of  troops  seen 
in  the  streets.  Yet,  in  police 
stations,  in  armories  and  else- 
where, armed  police,  militia,  in- 
dependent companies,  and  vol- 
unteer veterans  of  the  war,  lay  for  days  iipon  their  arms, 
ready  to  crush  at  one  blow  the  first  sign  of  violence. 
When  the  railroads  and  their  men  came  to  terms,  all 
things  moved  on  as  before,  and  Cleveland  had  no  reason 
for  regret,  and  no  bill  of  damages  to  pay. 

A  more  attractive  picture  is  that  which  presents  itself 
in  the  closing  days  of  1878,  when  the  people  of  the  entire 
city  turned  out  to  celebrate  the  completion  of  that  great 
stone  structure  which  bound  the  East  Side  and  the  West 
Side  in  new  bonds  of  union.  The  two  sections,  that  at 
one  time  faced  each  other  across  the  valley  with  such  bit- 
ter rivalry,  had  become  one  in  interest,  and  lived  in  the 
greatest   harmony,  and  with    this  new   viaduct   carrying 


jrAYOR    \V.    G.    ROSE. 


4sb  Tin-:  II fS  Ti )  AM '  OF  CLE  VEI. .  1  .YD. 


travel  and  traffic  across  the  flats  of  the  Cuyahoga,  the  one 
barrier  against  still  closer  intercourse  was  removed. 

Naturallv,  better  means  of  communication  between  the 
two  sides  of  the  river  had  been  discussed  from  the  days 
of  the  great  bridge  war,  and  bridge  after  bridge  had  been 
constructed,  only  to  prove  that  the  toilsome  ascent  and 
descent  of  the  hills  was  still  an  unpleasant  feature  of 
travel  between  the  east  and  the  west. 

In  his  annual  message  of  1870,  Mayor  Stephen  Buhrer 
urged  the  construction  of  a  high  level  bridge,  and  again 
referred  to  it  in  his  communication  to  the  City  Council  in 
the  year  succeeding.  In  response  to  these  suggestions,  the 
Council  passed  a  resolution  appointing  a  committee  to  re- 
port upon  the  question  of  such  bridge.  A  favorable  report 
was  made,  but  a  great  deal  of  public  opposition  was  de- 
veloped against  a  bridge  of  the  character  then  proposed. 
Accordingly,  on  January  30,  1872,  John  Huntington  in- 
troduced in  the  City  Council  a  resolution  for  the  appoint- 
ment of  a  special  committee,  to  take  into  consideration  the 
construction  of  a  bridge  across  the  river,  at  Superior  street, 
and  to  confer  with  the  Cleveland,  Columbus,  Cincinnati  & 
Indianapolis  Railway  Company,  as  to  the  advisability  of 
sinkine  their  tracks  below  grade.  The  resolution  was 
adopted,  and  entrusted  to  a  committee  consisting  of  Mayor 
F.  \V.  Pelton,  City  Engineer  C.  H.  Strong,  John  Hun- 
tington, and  H.  W.  Leutkemeyer. 

On  March  1 9,  these  gentlemen  presented  their  findings  to 
the  City  Council,  in  an  extended  report.  They  found  that 
two  routes  were  practicable,  as  follows :  From  the  Atwater 
Building,  Superior  street,  to  the  intersection  of  Pearl  and 
Franklin  streets,  which  would  require  a  continuous  high 
bridge  between  the  points  named.  Second,  from  the  in- 
tersection of  Superior  and  Union  streets,  to  the  intersection 
of  Pearl  and  Detroit  streets.  They  submitted  figures 
showing  the  cost  of  each  route,  and  declared  that,  in  their 
opinion,  the  Superior  and  Pearl  street  route  possessed  ad- 
vantages not  to  be  found  in  any  other.  They  urged  its 
adoption,  and  suggested  that  the  City  Council  obtain  from 


THE  niSTOR  \ "  OF  CLE  1  'ELA XD.  437 

the  Legislature  such  authority  as  the  situation  made  nec- 
essary. 

The  aid  of  the  General  Assembly,  therefore,  was  invoked, 
and  a  law  was  passed  authorizing  the  city  to  issue  bonds 
to  the  amount  of  one  million  one  hundred  thousand  dol- 
lars, for  the  construction  of  the  proposed  viaduct.  The 
question  was  duly  submitted  to  the  voters,  and  was  car- 
ried by  a  majority  of  5,451.  A  contract  for  the  masonry 
on  the  West  Side  was  let,  when  an  injunction  was  ob- 
tained by  parties  opposed  to  the  measure,  which  tied  it  up 
almost  completely  until  1873.  Progress  was  made  slowly, 
and  bn  May  4,  1876,  a  special  election  was  held,  which 
decided  affirmatively  these  two  questions:  Whether  toll 
should  be  charged,  and  whether  more  bonds  should  be 
issued  for  the  completion  of  the  work.  Legislation  was 
finally  secured  abrogating  the  toll  decision,  and  making  it 
a  free  bridge.  When  the  great  and  needed  viaduct  was 
turned  over  to  the  city  authorities,  on  December  27,  1878, 
it  had  been  four  and  a  half  5'-ears  in  building,  and  had  cost 
$2, 170,000. 

The  character  of  the  structure  can  be  best  understood 
from  the  following  figures,  given  by  B.  F.  Morse,  who 
succeeded  Mr.  vStrong  as  city  civil  engineer,  and  who 
had  charge  of  the  enterprise  during  the  greater  portion  of 
the  time:  The  Viaduct,  from  Water  street  to  its  intersec- 
tion with  Pearl  and  Detroit  streets,  is  3,21 1  feet  in  length, 
and  exclusive  of  drawbridge  is  64  feet  in  width,  with  a 
roadway  42  feet  wide  and  sidewalks  1 1  feet  in  width. 
The  drawbridge  is  332  feet  in  length,  46  feet  in  width, 
with  roadway  32  feet  wide  and  sidewalks  7  feet  wide. 
The  height  of  the  roadway  of  the  draw  above  low  water 
mark  in  the  river  is  70  feet.  There  are  ten  stone  arches 
on  the  west  side  of  the  river,  of  which  eight  are  83  feet 
and  two  are  97^  feet  span.  The  length  of  the  roadway 
supported  by  stone  arches  is  1,382  feet.  The  average 
height  of  arches  above  the  surface  of  the  ground  is  54  feet, 
and  above  the  pile  foundations  "jd  feet.  The  total  num- 
ber of  piles  driven   for  foundations  of  arches  and  river 


43S  THE  HIS  TOR  \ '  OF  CLE  VELA  ND. 


piles,  is  7,279,  and,  if  laid  lengthwise,  would  extend  277,092 
feet,  or  a  fraction  over  52  miles.  There  are  80,508 
perches  of  solid  masonry  in  the  Viaduct,  and  15,500  cubic 
yards  of  gravel  filling.  The  approximate  weight  of  ma- 
terials resting  on  the  pile  foundations  of  the  ten  arches  is 
140,000  tons;  on  the  foundation  for  iron  work  12,500  tons, 
and  on  the  pier  that  supports  the  draw,  610  tons. 

All  Cleveland  made  holiday  on  December  28,  1878, 
when  the  long-needed  and  long-wished-for  structure  was 
dedicated  to  the  public  use.  A  federal  salute  at  daybreak, 
from  the  Cleveland  Light  Artillerv,  opened  the  exercises 
of  the  day.  At  10.30  a.  m.  there  was  a  great  parade,  by 
the  military,  uniformed  societies,  the  fire  department,  and 
citizens  generally,  and  at  12.30  exercises  of  a  fitting  nature 
were  conducted  in  the  old  Tabernacle  on  Ontario  street, 

Hon.  B.  R.  Beavis  presided.  Prayer  was  offered  by 
Dr.  Charles  vS.  Pomeroy,  and  an  extended  address,  cover- 
ing the  history  of  the  structure,  delivered  by  William  G. 
Rose,  mayor  of  Cleveland.  An  address  was  also  deliv- 
ered by  Hon.  R.  C.  Parsons,  succeeded  by  remarks  from 
Hon.  F.  J.  Dickman,  William  W.  Armstrong,  Hon.  R.  M. 
Bishop,  Governor  of  Ohio ;  Governor  Matthews,  of  West 
Virginia,  and  others.  A  banquet  at  the  Weddell  House 
followed  in  the  evening,  Hon.  Amos  Townsend  presiding. 
A  number  of  eloquent  speeches  were  made  by  prominent 
Clevelanders,  and  by  distinguished  guests  from  elsewhere. 

On  the  day  following,  the  great  bridge  was  opened  for 
the  use  of  the  public,  and  the  East  Side  and  West  vSide 
became  one  in  fact,  as  they  had  before  been  in  civil  and 
governmental  matters. 

It  was  in  1879  that  the  first  steps  were  taken  toward  the 
formation  of  an  organization  that  has  been  sec()nd  only 
to  the  Western  Reserve  Historical  Society,  in  the  value  of 
its  labors,  and  in  whose  publications  has  been  preserved 
a  great  amount  of  valuable  historical  information,  that 
otherwise  would  have  been  lost.  This  was  the  Early 
Settlers'  Association  of  Cuyahoga  County,  from  whose 
Annals    I   have   so   freely  quoted,  in   the  pages  that  have 


THE  HISIORY  OF  CLKVELAXD. 


439 


gone  before.  Through  the  indefatigable  labors  of  Har- 
vey Rice,  and  his  associates,  the  story  of  Early  Cleveland 
has  been  gleaned  in  a  wealth  of  detail  seldom  obtained  in 
matters  of  that  character,  and  preserved  for  use  and  ref- 
erence throuofh  all  time. 

The  idea  of  such  organization  found  origin  in  the  mind 
of  H.  I\I.  Addison,  a  well-known  pioneer,  whose  inter- 
est in  all  matters  of  the  past  has  been  great  and  long- 
continued.  In  the  fall  of  1879,  ^^  published  a  number 
of  articles  in  the  daily  press 
of  Cleveland,  in  relation  to 
this  matter.  His  idea,  he 
has  since  explained,"^'-'  was 
the  cultivation  of  "  an  inti- 
mate acquaintance  with  each 
other,"  and  the  perpetuation 
of  "  the  kindlv  feelings  for 
which  pipneer  life  was  pro- 
verbial, and  to  secure  the 
preservation  of  much  of  the 
unwritten  history  of  our 
county  and  its  vicinity."  To 
give  effect  to  this  idea,  Mr. 
Addison  wrote  and  circulated  a  call  for  a  public  meet- 
ing of  such  as  might  be  interested. '^'^  The  response  was 
general,   and  on   November    19,  1879,  a  large  number  of 

3-  "  Early  Settlers'  Association  of  Cuyahoga  County,  (~)hio, "  by  H.  M. 
Addison. — "  Magazine  of  Western  History,"  Vol.  VIII.,  p.  281. 

^^  Mr.  Addison  has  related  his  experiences,  m  the  paper  before  quoted. 
He  met  with  very  little  encouragement,  at  first.  Those  to  whom  he  pre- 
sented it  seemed  to  think — and  some  said  so  in  so  many  words — that  it 
wovild  not  be  a  success,  and  declined  signing  it  until  others  had  done  so. 
On  presenting  it  to  the  venerable  General  H.  H.  Dodge,  he  said,  '  O,  get 
some  of  the  old  folks  to  sign  it  first. '  After  several  similar  repulses,  Mr. 
Addison  went  to  the  residence  of  George  Mygatt,  where  he  obtained  the  first 
signature  to  the  call.  On  his  return,  he  called  on  General  John  Crowell, 
who  was  the  second  one  to  sign.  Among  others  who  signed  were  John  W. 
Allen,  J.  P.  Bishop,  D.  R.  Tilden,  Charles  Whittlesey,  H.  B.  Payne, 
John  A.  Foot,  Harvey  Rice,  S.  Williamson,  R.  C.  Parsons,  H.  H.  Dodge, 
Geo.  C.  Dodge,  T.  P."  Handy,  Sherlock  J.  Andrews,  J.  H.  Wade,  William 
Bingham,  George  B.  Merwm,  and  W.  H.  Doan. 


FATHER 


11.     M.     ADDISON. 


44^^  THE  mSTOR  \ '  OF  CLE]' ELAND. 


early  settlers  gathered  at  the  rooms  of  the  Probate  Court. 
An  organization  was  effected  by  the  selection  of  John  \V. 
Allen  as  chairman,  and  H.'  ]\I.  Addison,  secretary.  It 
was  decided  that  a  society  should  be  formed,  under  the 
name  above  given,  and  a  constitution  was  adopted  which 
declared  that  the  membership  should  consist  of  such  per- 
sons as  had  resided  within  the  county  for  forty  vears, 
and  which  stated  the  reason  for  existence  in  these  words : 
"The  object  of  the  association  shall  be  to  ineet  in  conven- 
tion annuallv.  with  the  view  of  bringinor  its  members  into 
more  intimate  social  relations,  and  collecting  all  such  in- 
teresting facts,  incidents,  relics  and  personal  reminiscences, 
relative  to  the  early  history  and  settlement  of  the  city  and 
county,  as  may  be  regarded  of  permanent  value,  and  trans- 
ferring the  same  to  the  Western  Reserve  Historical  So- 
ciety, for  preservation  and  for  the  benefit  of  the  present  and 
future  generations. 

The  first  permanent  officers  were  then  elected,  as  fol- 
lows: President,  Harvey  Rice;  Jlce-Prcsidcnts,  Sherlock  J. 
Andrews.  John  W.  Allen  ;  Secretary  and  Treasurer,  George 
C.  Dodge  ;  Exeeiitive  Committee,  R.  T.  Lyon.  Thomas 
Jones,  Jr.,  vS.  vS.  Coe,  W.  J.  Warner,  David  L.  Wightman. 

The  fi-rst  annual  convention  of  the  association,  was  held 
at  the  Euclid  Street  Presbyterian  Church,  on  ]\Iay  20,  1880. 
From  that  time  until  the  present  these  annual  gatherings 
have  been  held,  each  a  season  of  great  pleasure  and  profit 
to  all  who  were  permitted  to  be  present.  Mr.  Rice  held 
the  office  of  president,  by  successive  elections,  until  his 
death,  when  he  was  succeeded,  in  1892,  by  the  election  of 
Richard  C.  Parsons,  who  has  been  continued  in  the  office 
until  the  present  time. 

It  is  due  to  the  efforts  of  this  association  that  Cleveland 
possesses  the  bronze  memorial  of  the  founder  of  the  city, 
that  stands  on  the  southwestern  quarter  of  the  Public 
vSquare.  In  a  historical  address,  delivered  bv  Samuel 
E.  Adams,  at  the  first  annual  convention,  he  suggested  that 
the  association  "would  do  a  noble  and  commendable  act 
were  it  to  inaugurate  a  project  for  the  erection,  in  Lake 


77//-;  ///.s/f'A' )"  oi-  ci.i-:\'Ei..\.\n. 


44T 


View  Park,  of  a  monument  crowned  with  a  statue  of  Gen- 
eral Cleaveland.  commemorative  of  his  havin<^  founded 
our  beautiful  city."  A  resolution  favorin^-  this  sugges- 
tion was  adopted  at  this  gathering. 

At  the  annual  meeting  of  kSS^.  a  resolution  was  also 
adopted  to  the  effect  that  the  association  "proceed  to 
raise  a  fund  for  the  purpose  of  erecting,  at  some  suitable 


STATUE    <il'    MOSES    CLEAVELAND. 


point  within  the  City  of  Cleveland,  a  life-size  statue,  in 
marble  or  bronze,  of  General  Moses  Cleaveland,"  and  also 
providing  for  the  selection  of  a  committee  of  three  to  take 
the  matter  in  hand.  The  following  gentlemen  were  ap- 
pointed: R.  P.  vSpalding,  Dudley  Baldwin,  and  Bolivar 
Butts. 

The  work  was  pushed  as  rapidly  as  circumstances  would 


442  THE  HIS  TOR  V  OF  CLE  VELA ND. 


permit,  and  the  completed  monument  was  ready  for  un- 
veiling on  the  afternoon  of  July  23,  1888.  "^^  (The  22nd,  or 
anniversary  of  Cleaveland's  landing  at  the  Cuyahoga,  fell 
upon  the  Sabbath.)  The  members  of  the  association 
were  escorted  from  Music  Hall,  where  the  annual  conven- 
tion had  been  in  session,  to  the  Public  Square,  by  the  Cleve- 
land Grays.  The  exercises  were  opened  by  A.  J.  Will- 
iams, chairman  of  the  executive  committee,  who  explained 
that  President  Rice  could  not  be  present,  because  of  sick- 
ness. He  then  gave  the  signal,  and  the  flag  draping  the 
statue  was  removed,  amid  the  admiring  plaudits  of  the 
gathering.  An  address  prepared  by  the  president,  was 
then  read  by  Mr.  Williams,  the  closing  words  of  which 
contained  a  formal  presentation  of  the  monument  to  the 
city. 

A  graceful  response  was  made  by  Mayor  B.  D.  Bab- 
cock.  "As  mayor  of  the  City  of  Cleveland,"  said  he,  in 
conclusion,  "in  behalf  of  the  people,  I  accept  from  you 
this  beautiful  and  appropriate  monument.  Here,  in  the 
midst  of  these  beautiful  surroundings,  upon  these  grounds 
dedicated  forever  to  the  public  use,  may  it  ever  stand 
upon  its  firm  foundation,  to  perpetuate  the  name  and 
memory  of  Moses  Cleaveland." 

The  address  of  the  day  was  delivered  in  Music  Hall,  a 
little  later,  by  vSamuel  E.  Adams.  An  ode,  "Our  City's 
Birthday,"  composed  by  Mr.  Rice,'^^  was  sung,  and  after 
other  brief  exercises,  the  proceedings  came  to  a  close. '^^ 

The  monument  consists  of  a  circular  pedestal  of  pol- 
ished granite,  seven  feet  high,  surmounted  by  a  bronze 
statue  seven  feet  and  ten  inches  in  height.  It  was  cast 
in  one  piece,  weighs    1,450  pounds,  and  is  a  life-like  re- 

'^*  The  npenintj  stanza  of  the  ode  was  as  follows: 

"  'Tis  here,  when  nature  reii^ned  supreme, 
'J'hat  (General  Cleaveland  trod  the  wild; 
And  saw  an  infant  in  his  dream. 

And  with  his  name  baptized  the  ehild." 

'^''  The  full  rejjort  of  these  exercises  may  be  found  in  the  "  Annals  of  the 
Early  Settlers'  Association,"  No.  9,  p.  215. 


THE  mSlORY  OF  CLKVELAXD. 


443 


production  of  General  Cleaveland,  dressed  in  the  fashion 
of  his  day,  with  a  staff  in  his  ri^-ht  hand  and  an  old-fash- 
ioned  compass  clasped  in  the  elbow  of  his  left  arm.  The 
total  cost  was  $4,378. 

The  death  of  the  younger  Leonard  Case,  and  the  public 
announcement  of  his  benefactions,  comprised  two  of  the 
most  important  events  in  Cleveland,  in  the  5^ear  1880.  In 
an  earlier  portion  of  this  record,  we  have  noted  the  arrival 
of  the  elder  Leonard  Case  in  Cleveland,  his  connection 
with  the  city's  first  bank,  and  the  part  he  took  in  the  city's 
welfare,  as  a  busy  and  shrewd  man  of  business.  He 
early  saw  that  Cleveland  was  destined  to  become  a  place 
of  importance,  and  made 
large  purchases  of  land,  in 
what  was  then  the  suburbs, 
and  which  the  rapid  growth 
of  the  city  soon  made  of 
enormous  value.  His  elder 
son,  William  Case,  took  an 
active  part  in  public  affairs, 
filling  at  one  time  the  office 
of  mayor.  The  son  Leonard 
was  a  student  and  semi-re- 
cluse, finding  his  life  and 
companionship  in  books,  sci- 
ence, literary  labors,  and 
mathematics.  Left  the  sole  heir  of  a  large  estate,  he  re- 
garded it  as  a  trust,  and  when  he  suddenly  died,  on  Jan- 
uary 6,  1880,  it  was  found  that  he  had  made  his  beloved 
home-city  the  heir  to  a  princely  vSum,  the  use  and  direction 
of  which  had  been  carefully  pre-arranged  by  himself.  On 
January  11,  1880,  Henry  G.  Abbey,  Mr.  Case's  confiden- 
tial business  agent  and  personal  friend,  filed  in  the  Coun- 
ty Recorder's  office  a  deed  which  had  been  executed  by 
Mr.  Case  some  time  before  (in  1876),  which  conveyed  to 
Mr.  Abbey  over  one  million  dollars'  worth  of  property,  to 
be  held  in  trust,  for  the  eventual  establishment  of  an 
institution  to  be  known  as  ''The  Case  School  of  Applied 


LKONARD    CASE,    JK. 


444 


THE  HIS ■/■( ) R )■()/■-  L  1. 1: 1 ■  /•;/. .i.y/). 


Sciences."  The  deed  conveyed  the  City  Hall,  and  the 
land  on  which  it  stands,  the  block  on  which  the  old  Case 
residence  stood,  and  other  tracts  on  St.  Clair  street,  on 
Case  avenne,  and  on  Beech  street.  His  donations  to  other 
institutions  durinii^  his  life-time  had  been  munificent,  one 
of  which,  that  of  Case  Block,  has  been  related  already. 
In  liis  deed  of  conveyance,  the  founder  declared  that  in 


CASK    SCUOO].    OF    AI'I'l.IKl)    SCIKNCE. 


Case  School  should  be  taught  mathematics,  physics,  en- 
gineering, inechanical  and  natural  drawing,  metallurgy 
and  modern  languages.  The  school  was  duly  incorpo- 
rated and  organized  on  a  small  scale,  in  iS.Si.  Its  first  ses- 
sions were  held  in  the  Case  residence,  on  Rockwell  street, 
and,  in  i  <S85,  it  was  transferred  to  an  elegant  building,  con- 
structed for  its_use,  in  the  East  End.  opposite  Wade  Park. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAM). 


445 


This  building  was  greatly  damaged  by  fire  in  1SS6,  but  was 
restored.  The  growth  of  its  usefulness  and  influenee  has 
been  sure  and  steady,  from  the  very  beginning. 

It  would  be  an  inexcusable  oversight  to  dismiss  mention 
of  the  Case  family,  without  reference  to  that  unchartered, 
unorganized  organization,  if  the  term  may  be  permitted, 
of  which  the  Case  brothers,  William  and  Leonard,  were 
the  sponsors  and  generous  patrons.  It  was  one  (^f  the 
most  unique  social  clubs  in  the  world,  possessing  no  con- 
stitution and  no  officers,  and  known  in  local  history  for  a 


"  TUF,    ARK." 


half   century  and  more,   under   the   brief   but   expressive 
name  of  "The  Ark." 

The  elder  Leonard  Case  was  the  owner  of  a  small 
wooden  building  that  stood  near  the  Case  homestead,  upon 
a  portion  of  the  ground  now  occupied  by  the  Post-Office 
and  Custom  House.  Along  in  the  thirties,  he  abandoned 
its  use  as  an  office.  His  .son  William  took  possession, 
built  a  small  addition  in  the  rear,  and  gradually  filled  it 
with  specimens  of  birds  and  animals,  which  he  and  his 
associates  had  shot  and  mounted.    His  friends  were  among 


446  THE  HIS  TOR  ] '  OF  CLE  J  'EL  A  XD. 

the  leading  young  men  of  the  city,  chosen  because  of 
tastes  similar  to  his  own,  and  their  familiarity  with  the 
gun  and  rod.  They  met  in  the  little  building,  in  the 
evening,  for  reading,  conversation,  and  healthful  social  di- 
version ;  and  gradually  the  name  which  had  been  bestowed 
upon  the  structure  —  the  Ark  —  became,  by  an  easy  tran- 
sition, that  of  the  company  which  it  sheltered.  A  list  of 
these  original  "Arkites"  is  as  follows:  William  Case, 
Leonard  Case,  Dr.  Elisha  vSterling,  Stoughton  Bliss,  Col. 
E.  A.  Scovill,  George  A.  Stanley,  Bushnell  White,  Capt. 
B.  A.  Stanard,  Dr.  A.  ]^laynard,  D.  W.  Cross,  Henry  G. 
Abbey,  R.  K.  Winslow,  J.  J.  Tracy,  John  Coon.'* 

When  the  Post-Othce  building  was  erected,  the  "Ark  " 
was  removed  to  the  lot  now  occupied  by  the  Case  Library 
Building.  It  was  again  taken  farther  west,  to  the  site  of 
the  present  City  Hall.  When  it  was  finally  demolished,  a 
portion  of  its  timber  was  made  into  tables  and  other  fixt- 
ures for  the  new  "Ark"  headquarters,  which  Leonard 
Case  had  provided  in  the  Case  Library  Building. 

Several  years  before  his  death,  Mr.  Case  deeded  the 
free  use  of  these  rooms,  and  their  contents,  to  the  gentle- 
men then  composing  the  club,  for  their  use,  and  to  that  of 
the  last  surviving  member.  L'pon  his  death,  the  property 
was  to  go  to  Case  Library.  The  gentlemen  named  in  this 
deed  were:  Charles  L.  Rhodes,  Seneca  O.  Griswold, 
David  W.  Cross,  Herman  ]\I.  Chapin,  Edward  A.  Scovill, 
William  H.  Sholl,  James  J.  Trac}-,  Stoughton  Bliss,  Levi 
T.  Scofield,  Rodney  Gale,  Jabez  W.  Fitch,  Henry  G.  Ab- 
bey, Bushnell  White,  Benjamin  A.  vStanard,  John  Coon.^ 

^^  The  accompanying  illustration,  "A  Meeting  at  the  Ark,"  was  taken 
from  a  painting  which  William  Case  ordered,  in  1S5S.  It  is  a  portrait 
group  of  the  origmal  Arkites,  in  their  characteristic  attitudes,  as  they 
stood  or  lounged  about  the  room. 

3'' "  The  Ark  has  a  history.  These  two  remarkable  men  (William  and 
Leonard  Case),  who  were  the  founders  and  promoters  of  the  Ark,  and  all 
that  accumulated  around,  and  in  time  grew  out  of  it,  ultimately  achieved 
their  grand  designs,  in  establishing  the  Kirtland  Society  of  Natural 
Science,  the  Case  Hall,  its  receptacle ;  the  Case  Library,  and,  above  all 
and  finally,  the  Case  School  of  Applied  Sciences." — "The  Log  Book,"  by 
D.  W.  Cross. — "Magazine  of  Western  History,"  Vol.  IX,  p.  686. 


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THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  447 

At  this  writing  (October,  1896),  the  only  survivors  of  the 
original  "Arkites"  are  John  Coon  and  James  J.  Tracy. 
Levi  T.  Scofield,  one  of  the  survivors  of  those  later 
members  to  whom  the  deed  mentioned  above  was  made 
—  called  by  Leonard  Case  "the  regulars" — has  furnished 
me  with  the  following  information  as  to  the  present  status 
of  this  unique  organization:  "  I  was  not  one  of  the  orig- 
inal 'Arkites,'  being  only  seventeen  years  of  age  when 
the  painting  of  the  'Ark'  interior  was  made,  and  was  not 
one  of  the  regulars,  until  my  return  from  the  war,  in 
1865.  There  is  still  an  enthusiastic  interest  in  the  'Ark,' 
and  the  attendance  is  just  as  regular  as  it  has  been  dur- 
ing the  past  sixty  years;  but,  I  am  sorry  to  say  that  dur- 
ing the  past  two  years  the  only  attendant  has  been  the 
writer,  who  has  rather  a  doleful  time  every  night  playing 
solitaire,  and  thinking  of  the  old  boys  who  are  gone." 
Y^ — Another  great  educational  institution  was  added  to 
Cleveland's  growing  list,  in  1880.  Amasa  Stone,  a  mill- 
ionaire railroad  builder  and  capitalist,  made  a  proposition 
that  resulted  in  removing  the  old  and  famous  Western 
Reserve  College  "^^  from  Hudson,  Ohio,  to  this  cit}-.  His 
offer  was  as  follows:  He  would  give  the  institution  five 
hundred  thousand  dollars,  — one  hundred  thousand  to  be 
used  for  buildings,  and  the  rest  as  an  endowment,  — pro- 
vided the  college  should  be  removed  to  Cleveland;  that 
the  people  of  the  city  would  provide  the  needed  grounds, 

•■**  This  college  came  into  being  in  answer  to  a  demand  of  the  New  Eng- 
landers  of  the  Western  Reserve.  In  1801,  the  territorial  Assembly  was 
petitioned,  by  residents  of  this  section,  for  a  charter  for  a  college,  to  be 
located  on  the  Western  Reserve.  This  was  refused.  In  1803,  the  first 
General  Assembly  of  Ohio  incorporated  the  Erie  Literary  Seminary,  com- 
posed of  residents  of  Trumbull  County,  which  then  comprised  the  entire 
Western  Reserve.  Under  this  charter,  an  academy  was  established  in  Bur- 
ton, in  1S05.  Out  of  this  institution  grew  another,  the  charter  of  which 
was  granted  in  1S26,  and  the  corner-stone  of  the  first  building  was  laid  at 
Hudson,  on  April  26th  of  the  same  year.  The  first  students  of  this  West- 
ern Reserve  College  were  received  in  December,  and  temporarily  instructed 
at  an  academy  at  Tallmadge.  In  1S27,  the  new  builchng  at  Hudson  was 
occupied,  and  the  preparatory  department  estabhshed.  These  facts  are 
taken  from  "A  History  of  Western  Reserve  College,"  by  Rev.  Carroll  Cut- 
ler, D.D. 


448  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

and  that  the  name  should  be  changed  to  the  Adelbert  Col- 
lege of  Western  Reserve  University.*'  This  generous 
proposition  was  accepted,  new  buildings  were  erected 
near  Case  vSchool,  the  institution  was  strengthened  in 
many  ways,  and  in  the  autumn  of  i<S<S2,  the  old  college 
entered,  with  renewed  vigor,  again  upon  the  grand  work 
it  had  for  so  many  years  successfully  pursued. 

That  work  has  been  enlarged  and  broadened,  until  this 
university  is  recognized  as  one  of  the  great  educational 
forces  of  the  Middle  West.  As  has  been  well  said, 
' '  Western  Reserve  University  is  one  of  the  oldest,  and  one 
of  the  newest,  institutions  of  learning.  Its  oldest  depart- 
ment was  founded  in  1826,  its  newest  in  1892."  It  was 
organized  as  a  university  in  1884,  and  consists  of  seven 
departments  and  two  preparatory  schools.  The  two  last- 
named  are  the  Western  Reserve  Academy,  at  Hudson, 
O.,  and  the  Green  Spring  Academy,  at  Green  Spring,  O. 
The  departments  are :  Adelbert  College,  established  in 
1826;  College  for  Women,  in  1888;  Graduate  School, 
in  1892;  Medical  School,  in  1843;  Law  School,  in  1892; 
Dental  School,  in  1892;   Conservatory  of  Music,  in    1871. 

The  College  for  Women,  which  was  opened  in  vSeptem- 

ber,  1888,  was  not  wholly  a  new  college,  as  it  shared  the 

rights  and  advantages  of  an  educational  foundation  going 

back  to  1826.     The  buildings  were  opened  in  September, 

1892.     When  President  Charles  F.   Thwing  came  to  the 

university,  he  found   that   a  law  school,  on  a  plane  with 

the   other  branches   of   the   college,  was   a   crying   need. 

He  set  to  work,  and  on  September  25,    1892,  the  school 

was  founded.      It  had  not  been  in  existence  three  months, 

^i*  "  Soon  after  the  war  closed,  he  (Mr.  Stone)  met  with  a  great  misfor- 
tune, in  the  death  of  his  only  son,  Adelbert  Barnes  Stone,  a  youth  of  the 
most  amiable  character,  and  the  highest  promise,  who  was  drowned  while 
bathing  in  the  Connecticut  riv'er,  being  at  the  time  a  student  of  Yale  Col- 
lege. .  .  .  On  condition  that  the  Western  Reserve  College  at  Hudson 
should  remove  to  Cleveland,  and  assuine  in  its  classical  department  the 
name  of  his  lost  and  lamented  son,  he  endowed  it  with  the  munificent  sum 
of  half  a  million  dollars,  which,  at  his  desire,  after  his  death,  was  increased 
by  his  family  to  the  amount  of  six  hundred  thousand  dollars."  "  Amasa 
Stone,"  by  John  Hay. — "Magazine  of  Western  History,"  Vol.  III.,  p.  no. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


449 


when  Mrs.  Franklin  T.  Backus,  who  wished  to  make  a 
fitting  memorial  to  her  husband,  a  famous  jurist,  gave  the 
school  $50,000.  In  recognition  of  this  princely  gift,  the 
school  was  called  The  Franklin  T.  Backus  Law  School  of 
the  Western  Reserve  University.  The  members  of  the 
local  bar  have  also  made  generous  donations.  The  course 
is  three  years,  and  is  modeled  largely  on  that  of  Harvard. 


liiWi|--^^n 


AUELBERT    COLLEGE. 


The  university  has  recently  come  into  possession  of  a 
handsome  and  commodious  library  building,  through  the 
generosity  of  H.  R.  Hatch.  It  consists  of  a  main  build- 
ing, thirty-three  feet  by  ninety-four  feet  in  size,  two 
stories  high,  with  east  and  west  wings,  each  twenty-seven 
feet  by  thirty-seven  feet  in  size,  one  story  high.  It  is 
built  of    Ohio  sandstone.      It  has  a  capacity  of    118,000 


450 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


books.  The  new  building-,  to  which  the  trustees  insisted 
that  the  name  "  Hatch  Library  "  be  given,  was  dedicated 
on  June  15th,  1896. 

The  origin  and  early  history  of  the  Medical  College 
have  been  given  in  an  earlier  portion  of  this  work.  The 
Cleveland  Medical  College,  as  the  medical  department  of 
Western  Reserve  College,  graduated  its  first  class  in  1844. 
In  1884,  by  reason  of  the  change  in  the  college,  it  became 


csa) 


V     iiiiiiiii   1  ^\ 


THE    LNI\'EKSITV    SCHOOL. 


the  Medical  Department  of  Western  Reserve  University. 
Among  the  prominent  educational  institutions  of  these 
later  days,  must  be  enumerated  the  University  School.  A 
movement  was  set  on  foot,  in  1890,  by  a  number  of  lead- 
ing citizens,  for  the  establishment  of  a  school  where  young 
men  might  be  prepared  for  college,  or  for  professional 
occupations.      A   large    and   well-equipped    building,    on 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  431 

H(nio-h  and  Giddings  avenues,  was  the  oiitcome.  This 
was  ready  in  1891,  and  since  then,  a  model  institution  has 
been  carried  on  along-  the  lines  above  indicated,  with  elS- 
cient  literary,  scientific  and  manual  training  departments. 

Still  another  important  enterprise,  that  found  its  origin 
in  the  generosity  of  a  prominent  citizen  of  Cleveland,  was 
the  Cleveland  Music  Hall  and  Tabernacle,  on  Erie  and 
Vincent  streets.  William  H.  Doan,  in  the  early  part  of 
1881 ,  donated  the  lot  upon  which  the  building  now  stands, 
and  added  a  gift  of  ten  thousand  dollars,  for  the  construc- 
tion of  a  great  hall,  to  be  used  for  such  musical,  moral 
and  religious  meetings  as  needed  unusual  space.  The 
title  of  the  property  was  to  be  vested  in  five  trustees, 
three  of  whom  were  to  be  chosen  by  Mr.  Doan  or  his 
heirs,  and  two  by  the  Cleveland  Vocal  Society.  A  com- 
modious structure,  capable  of  seating  4,300  people,  was 
erected,  at  a  cost  of  $51,333,  and  has,  by  its  continual  use- 
fulness, proven  the  wisdom  and  foresight  of  its  gener- 
ous founder. 

For  the  second  time  in  her  history,  Cleveland  was 
called  upon  to  prepare,  in  1881,  a  temporary  resting 
place,  in  the  Public  vSquare,  for  a  murdered  and  a  martyred 
President.  James  A.  Garfield  had  grown  very  near  to  the 
hearts  of  her  people,  and  the  tributes  paid  his  memory, 
upon  that  sad  occasion,  were  inspired  not  alone  by  re- 
spect for  his  great  office,  but  also  by  love  of  the  neighbor, 
and  the  man. 

While  Garfield  represented  a  neighboring  district,  dur- 
ing his  long  career  in  Congress,  he  was  regarded  by  the 
press  and  people  of  Cleveland  as  in  part  theirs  also,  and 
nowhere  were  his  political  and  intellectual  achievements 
hailed  with  more  joy  than  here.  When  the  word  was 
flashed   down  from  Chicago,*^  on  that  memorable  8th  of 

•"'  Cleveland  has  not,  as  yet,  been  especially  noted  m  the  line  of  politi- 
cal conventions,  beyond  those  of  a  local  or  State  character,  although  one 
of  the  most  popular  convention  cities  in  the  country,  in  the  way  of 
gatherings  of  a  miscellaneous  character.  She  had,  however,  the  somewhat 
doubtful  honor  of  being  chosen  for  the  holding  of  a  convention  of  those 
who,  in  1864,  opposed  the  re-nomination   of  Mr.    Lincoln,  on  the  ground 


452  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

June,  1880,  that  the  favorite  son  of  Ohio  was  to  be  the 
Republican  banner-bearer  for  that  year,  the  general  joy 
was  great,  and  men  of  all  parties  were  ready  to  extend 
their  congratulations,  and  give  him  welcome.  A  recep- 
tion was  tendered  him,  by  apparently  the  entire  city, 
when  he  reached  here  on  the  9th,  the  animating  spirit  of 
which  was  well  stated  in  Garfield's  own  words:  "  I 
know  that  all  this  demonstration  means  your  gladness  at 
the  unity,  and  harmony,  and  good  feeling,  of  the  great 
political  party,  and  in  part  your  good  feeling  toward  a 
neighbor  and  an  old  friend." 

All  through  the  memorable  campaign  that  followed, 
the  real  Garfield  headquarters  were  in  Cleveland,  although 
the  General  remained,  for  the  greater  part  of  the  time,  in 
Mentor.  Men,  money,  brains,  political  experience,  end- 
less industry,  were  all  here,  as  in  a  great  reservoir,  from 
which  he  could  draw,  as  needed;  and  Cleveland  took  unto 
herself  some  degree  of  pride,  and  yet  more  pleasure, 
when  he  was  declared  the  President-elect,  and  sent  to  sit 
in  the  chair  of  Washington  and  Lincoln. 

When  the  terrible  news  of  the  tragedy  of  July  2nd, 
1 88 1,  was  received  here,  the  whole  city  became  a  house 
of  mourning,  and  the  hearts  of  our  people  were  with  the 
sufferer,  until  there  came  that  later  message  of  Septem- 
ber 19th,  to  the  effect  that  the  President  was  no  more. 
At  eleven  o'clock  at  night  the  bells  were  tolled ;  the  Light 
Artillery  noted  each  half  hour  of  the  night,  by  the  solemn 
booming  of  the  guns;  the  mayor,  on  the  morning  fol- 
lowing, asked,  by  proclamation,  that  from  noon  onward, 
all  places  of  business  should  be  closed. 

It  had  been  the  expressed  wish  of  Garfield,  that  beau- 

that  he  was  too  conservative  in  the  conduct  of  the  war.  On  May  31st  of 
that  year,  a  small,  but  radical,  wing  of  the  Republican  party  held  a  conven- 
tion here,  which  placed  in  nomination  John  C.  Fremont  and  John 
Cochrane,  upon  a  platform  that  demanded  a  more  determined  prosecution 
of  the  war,  and  the  confiscation  of  the  estates  of  those  in  rebellion,  which 
were  to  be  distributed  among  the  soldiers  and  settlers.  General  Fremont 
accepted  the  nomination,  but  upon  finding  that  the  movement  was  not 
actively  supported,  withdrew,  in  the  September  following. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  433 

tiful  Lake  View  Cemetery  should  be  his  final  resting 
place,  and,  accordingly,  he  was  brought  here  for  burial. 
A  pavilion,  for  the  reception  of  his  remains,  was  built 
upon  the  Public  Square,  and  there  he  was  temporarily 
laid,  on  Saturday,  September  24th.  For  two  days  the 
body  lay  in  state,  with  a  guard  of  honor  ever  present; 
Avhile  thousands  and  thousands  of  mourners  passed  by, 
for  a  final  glance  at  the  one  they  had  come  to  know  so 
well.  The  final  services  were  held  on  Monday,  the  26th. 
A  hundred  thousand  people  came  to  the  city,  and  twice 
that  number  were  reverent  witnesses  of  the  ceremonies. 

These  were  conducted  by  Dr.  J.  P.  Robison.  A  hymn 
was  sung  by  the  Cleveland  Vocal  Society.  A  selection 
from  the  vScriptures  was  read  by  the  Right  Rev.  G.  T. 
Bedell,  and  prayer  offered  by  Rev.  Ross  C.  Houghton. 
An  address  was  delivered  by  Rev.  Isaac  Errett,  of  Cin- 
cinnati, who  had  been  one  of  Garfield's  life-long  friends. 
When  he  concluded.  Rev.  Jabez  Hall  read  Garfield's  fa- 
vorite hymn,  which  was  then  sung  by  the  Cleveland  Vocal 
vSociety,  and  prayer  and  benediction,  by  the  Rev.  Charles 
S.  Pomeroy,  followed. 

At  twelve  o'clock,  the  great  procession  and  escort  of 
honor  —  some  five  miles  in  length  —  was  formed,  and 
moved  out  to  Lake  A'iew  Cemetery,  where  further  services 
were  held,  and  the  honored  remains  found  a  temporary 
resting  place  in  a  vault,  until  the  tomb,  which  the  people 
had  alreadv  decreed  should  be  erected  for  him,  should  be 
ready  for  occupancy. 

When  it  was  learned  that  President  Garfield  would  be 
buried  in  Lake  View  Cemeterv,  a  movement  was  at  once 
set  on  foot  to  raise  funds  for  a  fitting  monument.  A 
meeting  was  held,  and  J.  H.  Wade,  H.  B.  Payne,  and  Jos- 
eph Perkins  were  made  a  committee  to  solicit  money  from 
the  entire  nation  for  this  purpose.  Through  the  public 
press,  through  circulars,  and  other  proper  means  that 
suggested  themselves  to  the  enterprising  committee,  the 
country  was  called  upon  to  contribute  to  this  praiseworthy 
purpose.      It  was  found,  however,  that  the  importance  of 


454 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


the  undertaking  demanded  a  more  businesslike  system 
than  had  yet  been  employed,  and,  in  June.  1882,  the  Gar- 
field National  Monument  Association  was  incorporated, 
under  the  laws  of  Ohio.  It  was  composed  of  the  follow- 
ing prominent  Ohioans:  Governor  Charles  B.  Foster,  ex- 
President  Rutherford  B.  Hayes,  Senator  Henry  B.  Payne, 
J.  H.  Wade,  Joseph  Perkins,   T.   P.   Handy,  D.  P.  Eells, 


t 


'fiff^'yt- 


THE    GARFIELD    MUNLMENT. 


W.  S.  Streator,  J.  H.  Devereux,  Selah  Chamberlain, 
John  D.  Rockefeller,  John  Hay,  and  J.  H.  Rhodes.  On 
July  6,  1882,  an  executive  committee,  with  J.  H.  Rhodes 
as  its  secretary,  was  formed.  Active  measures  were  at 
once  taken,  and  soon  the  sum  of  $150,000  was  at  the  dis- 
posal of  the  association.  Of  this,  Cleveland  contributed 
$75,000;    Ohio,    $14,000;    New    York,    $14,000;    Illinois, 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  4SJ 

$5,500;  Iowa,  $3,000;  Pennsylvania,  $i,8oo;  Wisconsin, 
$2,000;  Maine,  $1,600;  Kansas,  $1,500;  Indiana,  $1,400; 
Connecticut,  $1,000;  Montana,  $1,900.  The  rest  came, 
in  varying  sums,  from  the  other  States  and  Territories. 
In  June,  1883,  a  committee  composed  of  Joseph  Perkins, 
H.  B.  Hurlburt  and  John  Hay,  issued  an  invitation  to 
architects  and  artists  to  submit  plans  for  the  monument. 
Prizes  of  $1,000,  $750  and  $500  would  be  awarded.  More 
than  fifty  designs  were  submitted.  They  were  examined 
by  Henry  Van  Brunt,  of  Boston,  and  Calvert  Vaux,  of 
New  York,  the  most  eminent  architects  in  the  country. 
Each  made  a  separate  trip  to  Cleveland,  and  an  individual 
decision,  but  both  selected  the  design  of  George  Keller, 
of  Hartford,  Connecticut,  and  on  July  21,  1883,  it  was 
formally  accepted.  In  October,  1885,  the  contract  for 
masonry  was  given  to  Thomas  Simmons.  Work  was 
started,  in  due  season,  but  a  rumor  was  soon  current  that 
the  foundations  were  insecure.  Finally,  the  local  Civil 
Engineer's  Club  made  an  examination,  and  reported  that 
all  was  safe.  A  like  report  was  also  made  by  General 
W.  J.  Mc Alpine,  of  New  York,  a  national  authority  on 
foundations.  Notwithstanding  this,  the  committee,  at  its 
annual  meeting  in  1886,  changed  the  design,  reducing  the 
height  of  the  tower  from  225  feet  to  165  feet,  and  sup- 
planting the  castellated  form  with  a  conical  roof. 

May  30,  1890,  the  monument  was  formally  dedicated. 
President  Benjamin  Harrison,  Vice-President  L.  P.  Mor- 
ton, and  a  host  of  other  celebrities,  were  present.  The 
ceremonies  were  held  in  Lake  View  Cemetery.  They 
were  simple,  but  impressive.  Ex-President  Hayes  pre- 
sided, the  opening  prayer  was  made  by  Bishop  Leonard, 
and  ex-Governor  Jacob  D.  Cox,  the  orator  of  the  day, 
made  an  eloquent  address.  Brief  speeches  were  also 
made  by  Vice  President  Morton,  Governor  J.  D.  Camp- 
bell, General  William  T.  Sherman,  Secretary  William 
Windom,  Attorney-General  Miller,  vSecretary  RUvSk, 
Bishop  Gilmour,  General  Schofield,  and  Hon.  William  Mc- 
Kinley.     Then  the  Knights  Templar,  of  the  Grand  Com- 


456  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

mandery,  concluded  the  ceremonies,  with  their  impressive 
service.  There  were  over  5,000  men  in  line  for  the  pro- 
cession. 

The  monument  is  erected  in  the  loftiest  and  most  beau- 
tiful spot  in  Lake  View  Cemetery.  Its  shape,  for  the 
most  part,  is  that  of  a  tower,  fift}^  feet  in  diameter.  Steps 
lead  to  the  landing,  which  is  constructed  about  the  base 
of  the  building.  A  romanesque  porch  supports  the  tower. 
Below  the  porch  railing,  there  is  an  external  decoration, 
a  frieze  of  historical  character,  showing  in  its  five  panels 
characteristic  scenes  from  Garfield's  life.  The  great  doors 
of  oak  open  in  a  vestibule  vaulted  in  stone,  and  paved 
with  mosaic.  From  this,  spiral  staircases  ascend  the 
tower,  and  descend  to  the  crypt.  In  this  crypt  is  the  cas- 
ket containing  the  coffin.  Opening  from  this  vestibule, 
is  the  chamber  where  the  statue,  by  Alexander  Doyle,  of 
New  York,  stands.  It  shows  Garfield  in  the  House  of 
Representatives.  Over  the  statue,  supported  by  granite 
columns,  is  a  dome  twenty-two  feet  in  diameter,  which 
is  decorated  with  a  marvelous  frieze  of  Venetian  glass, 
showing  an  allegorical  funeral  procession  of  the  dead 
President.  The  tower  has  thirteen  magnificent  memorial 
windows,  from  the  original  thirteen  States.  The  monu- 
ment is  built  of  native  sandstone. 


CHAPTER   XVII. 

1880 — A    WONDERFUL    DECADE — 189O. 

In  a  record  of  this  character- — -a  history  of  the  creation 
and  growth  of  a  great  city, — the  individual  of  necessity 
disappears  as  the  many  appear,  and  incidents  of  a  personal 
nature  give  place  to  events  of  sufficient  importance  to 
be  of  interest  to  all.  Generalization,  therefore,  replaces 
specifications.  Lorenzo  Carter,  in  the  Cleveland  of  1800, 
was  larger,  relatively,  than  any  one  man  could  be  in 
Cleveland  to-day.  James  Kingsbury,  sitting  with  gun  in 
hand,  on  a  log  in  the  snowy  silence  of  the  Conneaut  woods, 
waiting  for  some  stray  bird  or  beast,  whose  flesh  could 
save  the  life  of  his  wife,  was  a  picturesque  figure,  because 
he  was  a  solitary  speck  upon  a  bleak  and  inhospitable 
pioneer  landscape; — the  picture,  in  all  these  cases,  is 
striking,  because  of  its  setting,  and  also  because  of  the 
time  that  has  passed,  and  the  things  that  have  been 
done,  since  it  was  drawn. 

The  life  of  a  pioneer  village  is  told  in  these  incidents ; 
that  of  a  great  city  by  its  achievements,  and  the  impress 
it  has  made  upon  the  civilization  of  which  it  is  a  part.  A 
bird's-eye  view  should,  therefore,  be  taken  from  time  to 
time,  that  advances  may  be  noted,  and  a  full  understand- 
ing had,  of  the  uses  made  of  the  natural  and  artificial  op- 
portunities at  hand. 

The  early  days  of  that  decade  running  from  1880  to 
1890,  seem  a  fitting  point  for  a  brief  retrospect  of  this 
character.  It  was  the  duty  of  the  writer  to  prepare  a 
somewhat  extended  paper  upon  Cleveland  at  that  period, ^^ 
in  which  these  words  were  used :  ' '  The  history  of  Cleve- 
land has  been  that  of  all  great  cities.     There  have  been 

■*!  "  The  Forest  City:    A   Picture  of  the   Past,    Present  and  Future  of 
Cleveland;"  by  J.  H.  Kennedy. — "  Chicago  Inter-Ocean,"  March  31,  1883. 


458 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


many  times,  when  her  growth  was  so  slow,  and  uncertain, 
that  she  gave  promise  of  no  great  development,  but  some 
unexpected  season  of  general  prosperity  would  arise, 
some  new  avenue  of  business  would  open,  or  some  new 
railroad  come  in  to  add  to  the  territory  open  to  her  enter- 
prise.    The  last  stage  of  doubting  was  passed,  years  ago, 

and  now  it  seems  impossible 
for  anything  to  arise  that  can 
stand  as  a  bar  to  her  progress. 
Her  population  is  so  great  [po- 
lice census  enumeration  for 
1883  gave  194,684],  her  in- 
vested capital  so  immense, 
her  footing  so  firmly  estab- 
lished, in  the  line  of  manu- 
facturing, and  her  lines  of 
communication  with  produ- 
cing and  purchasing  centers 
so  well  developed  and  main- 
tained, that  it  would  be  diffi- 
cult for  any  disaster  to  crush  her,  or  any  rivalry  to  break 
her  hold.  In  short,  the  visitor  who  looks  about  the  place 
says  to  himself :  '  The  signs  indicate  a  transition  state  from 
the  higher  degrees  of  villagehood,  and  a  passage  to  the 
glory  and  vigor  of  cityhood.'  The  fact  is,  that  a  new 
spirit  of  enterprise,  of  improvement,  and  of  push,  has 
been  breathed  into  the  business  men  and  the  men  of 
money,  and  the  last  suggestions  of  old-fogyism  are  being 
blown  to  the  winds."  Let  Greater  Cleveland  witness 
whether  there  was  a  touch  of  prophecy  in  that  statement 
■of  thirteen  years  ago. 

Suppose  that  visitor  of  1883  had  come  into  the  city 
from  the  old  "  Pilgrim's  Rest,"  up  by  Tinker's  Creek, 
and  followed  the  wandering  Cuyahoga  River  in  its  course, 
what  would  he  have  seen? 

In  that  sometiines  murky  and  clouded  valley  of  the 
river,  he  would  have  found  the  industrial  heart,  and  a 
great   portion   of  the    manufacturing  strength  of   Cleve- 


MAVOR    R.     R.     HERRICK. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  4sg 

land.  Hundreds  of  acres,  stretching  from  the  lake  front 
to  the  outer  city  limits,  would  have  been  seen  covered 
with  shipyards,  lumber-yards,  planing-mills,  freight- 
depots,  roundhouses,  iron-mills,  furnaces,  oil-works, 
factories,  in  which  were  made  almost  all  the  things  possi- 
ble in  wood  or  iron,  or  a  combination  of  the  two;  chemi- 
cal-works, foundries,  fertilizing-works,  brick-yards,  and  a 
thousand  and  one  small  concerns,  that  worked  into  com- 
mercial value  the  refuse  from  the  larger  neigfhbors  about 
them.  This  valley,  better  known  as  "  The  Flats,"  would 
have  been  seen  moving  clay  and  night, —  as  it  still 
moves, — •  with  the  motion  of  ten  thousand  machines.  All 
the  railroads  dipped  into  it,  carrving  miillions  of  loads  of 
material  in  the  year,  and  taking  forth  uncounted  loads  of 
goods,  ready  for  the  market.  Rail  and  water  communica- 
tion were  both  at  hand,  and  side-tracks  interlaced  almost 
every  acre  of  its  territory. 

Moving  to  the  left,  the  visitor  would  have  found, 
branching  to  the  west  from  the  valley,  and  followed  by 
the  track  over  Avhich  the  Cleveland,  Columbus,  Cincinnati 
&  Indianapolis  Railroad,  and  the  Lake  Shore  &  Michigan 
Southern  Railroad's  western  division  ran,  a  small  and 
sluggish  stream  —  Walworth  Run  —  marking  the  dividing 
line  between  the  West  Side  and  the  elevated  plateau  lo- 
cally described  as  the  South  Side.  That  run  would  have 
been  found  crowded,  for  a  mile  and  a  half,  with  pork  and 
beef  slaughter-houses,  woolen-factories,  ice-houses,  and 
various  concerns  of  a  similar  character.  Still  further  up 
the  Cuyahoga  Valley  would  have  been  found  another  ar- 
tery, by  which  a  stream  of  business  of  diverse  kinds 
worked  its  way  into  the  central  heart.  At  the  junction 
of  Kingsbury  Run  with  the  Cuyahoga  River  were  seen 
the  works  of  the  Standard  Oil  Company,  covering  many 
acres,  and  pouring  a  wave  of  smoke  into  the  sky.  Further 
up  the  run,  were  a  dozen  other  refineries  and  works,  tak- 
ing the  refuse  of  the  crude  oil,  after  the  burning  fluid  had 
been  extracted,  and  putting  it  upon  the  market,  in  such 
forms   as   paraffine,    naphtha,  gasoline,  etc.     Still  further 


46o  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

Up,  were  other  refineries,  and  where  the  run  crossed  the 
Cleveland  &  Pittsburg  Railroad  tracks,  could  be  found 
a  wilderness  of  tanks,  and  stills,  and  oil-houses,  showing 
where  a  host  of  smaller  refineries  had  made  a  stand 
aofainst  the  Standard  —  some  of  them  afterwards  to  sue- 
cumb  and  sell  out,  some  to  stand  idle,  and  others  to  keep 
up  the  struggle. 

The  annexation  of  East  Cleveland  and  Newburg, 
brought  into  the  city  limits  many  farm  lots,  which,  added 
to  the  acres  and  acres  held  vacant  right  in  the  best  part 
of  the  city,  by  the  Payne  and  Case  estates,  gave  to  Cleve- 
land, even  of  1876  or  later,  the  appearance  of  a  series  of  de- 
tached villages,  where  much  growth  would  be  necessary 
before  it  could  justify  its  widely-extended  boundary  lines. 

]SIuch  of  this  had  been  changed,  in  the  half-dozen  years 
preceding  the  date  at  which  our  visitor  is  supposed  to 
have  taken  his  bird's-eye  view  (1883).  Hundreds  of  resi- 
dences, and  scores  of  business  blocks,  and  factories,  had 
crowded  in  upon  the  vacant  spaces.  The  death  of  Leon- 
ard Case  had  thrown  the  immense  Case  commons  into 
the  inarket.  The  large  Water  Cure  tract  had  been  al- 
lotted and  sold;  the.  wide  vacant  spaces  along  the  Cleve- 
land &  Pittsburg  Railroad  tracks,  from  Case  avenue  to 
Newburg,  had  been  covered  with  factories  and  oil  works ; 
many  great  business  blocks  had  given  the  older  part  of 
the  city  a  metropolitan  appearance. 

This  brief  review  can  be  completed,  by  quoting  a  sum- 
mary of  the  business  of  Cleveland,  at  this  date,  from  the 
article  to  which  reference  was  made  a  few  pages  before : 
"An   earlv   start   had  somethinof  to  do  with   Cleveland's 

-'  C!> 

growth,  but  location  has  a  great  deal  more.  The  citv  is 
the  nearest  and  most  convenient  point  where  the  iron 
ores  from  Lake  Superior  can  be  met  by  the  limestone, 
coke  and  coal  needed  to  the  making  of  commercial  iron. 
The  fleet  of  vessels  that  are  engaged  in  the  carrying  of 
this  ore  to  Cleveland  harbor  demonstrates  this  fact,  as 
nothing  else  could.  The  furnaces,  rolling-mills,  steel- 
mills,  and  scores  of  factories,  for  special  iron  goods,  that 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  461 

can  be  seen  in  all  parts  of  the  city,  prove  that  fact  to  a 
certainty.  The  ore  is  met  here  by  the  coal  from  the  Ma- 
honing. Massillon,  Tuscarawas  and  Pennsylvania  districts, 
and  the  limestone  from  the  Lake  Erie  islands,  and  the 
south  Lake  Erie  shores.  No  better  distributing  point 
could  be  discovered ;  land  is  comparatively  cheap,  and 
taxes  comparatively  low.  All  these  things  have  united 
to  develop  enterprise  here  at  home,  and  invite  it  from 
abroad."  A  few  condensed  figures  from  Cleveland's 
commercial  record  of  1882  will  show  the  truth  of  the 
above : 

Iron  and  steel  products $  4,800,000 

Sales  of  stoves 1,350,000 

Railway  equipments      12,000,000 

Nuts,  bolts,  etc 2.300,000 

Machinery 42,000,000 

Manufactures  of  brass 850,000 

Sales  of  dr}'  goods 8,000,000 

Sales  of  groceries 8,000,000 

Paints  and  varnishes 500,000 

Boot  and  shoe  business 3,500,000 

Electric  light  business 2,000,000 

Hardware  business 1,000,000 

Cars  and  bridges 950,000 

Clothing,  woolens  and  cloaks 6,950,000 

Millinery  and  fancy  goods 3,800,000 

Steel  springs 350,000 

Carriages 800,000 

Furniture 1,500,000 

Fertilizers 500,000 

These  figures  cover,  of  course,  only  the  leading  indus- 
tries, as  there  was  an  endless  variety  of  small  occupations, 
of  which  no  census  could  be  taken.  Over  1,000,000  tons 
of  coal  were  handled,  in  1882;  over  7,000,000  barrels  of 
crude  oil  refined  into  various  products;  4,500,000  barrels 
made;  over  600  tons  of  fresh  fish  handled;  200,000,000 
feet  of  lumber  handled;  nearly  2,000,000  pounds  of  to- 
bacco manufactured;  300,000  barrels  of  flour  made.  The 
report  of  the  Cleveland  Custom  House,  for  1882,  gave  the 
following  totals  of  the  business  done  through  the  harbors 
of  Cleveland,  Lorain,  Conneaut,  and  Ashtabula  —  the  three 


462  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


last  named  being  in  this  district,  and  furnishing  a  com- 
paratively small  portion  of  the  total :  Receipts,  coastwise, 
$54,480,006;  shipments,  coastwise,  $36,449,853;  foreign 
entered,  $586,207;  foreign  cleared,  $440,354;  coastwise 
vessels  entering  during  the  year,  4,374,  of  a  tonnage  of 
1,927,863;  cleared  coastwise,  3,938,  of  a  tonnage  of 
1,825,218. 

Passing  from  this  summary,  once  more,  to  the  detailed 
record,  we  find  one  main  point  of  interest  connected  with 
an  important  change  of  management  of  the  public  schools. 
We  have  seen  the  superintendency  of  Andrew  Freese,  fol- 
lowed by  those  of  L.  M.  Oviatt,  of  Anson  Smyth,  and  of 
Andrew  J.  Rickoff,  whose  term  of  superintendent  ex- 
tended from  1867  to  1882.  Mr.  Rickoff's  .services  to  our 
public  school  system  can  hardly  be  overestimated. 
vSpurred  on  by  his  energy,  a  large  number  of  excellent 
school  buildings  were  erected,  several  of  them  after  plans 
of  his  own.  The  course  of  study  was  systemised  and 
improved ;  the  classification  of  pupils  was  revised,  twelve 
grades  being  placed  together  in  three  main  groups  — 
Primary,  Grammar,  and  High  School  grades;  separate 
schools  for  the  sexes  were  abolished ;  women  principals 
were  employed;  the  city  was  divided  into  districts,  each 
being  under  the  direct  care  of  a  supervising  principal; 
German  was  introduced  into  the  course  of  study;  and 
more  direct  attention  paid  to  music  and  drawing. ■*-  The 
Normal  (now  Training)  School  was  established,  for  the 
purpose  of  furnishing  the  schools  with  well-trained  and 
thoroughly-equipped   teachers.""^       During   ]\Ir.    Rickoff's 

■*-  The  able  corps  of  assistants  who  aided  in  this  work  of  placing  the 
schools  of  Cleveland  upon  a  modern  basis  were:  H.  M.  James  and  L.  W. 
Day,  supervising  principals;  L.  R.  Klemm  and  A.  J.  Esch,  special  super- 
intendents of  German;  Harriet  L.  Keeler  and  Kate  S.  Brennan,  super- 
visors of  primary  instruction ;  Frank  Aborn,  special  teacher  of  drawing; 
N.  Coe  Stewart,  special  teacher  of  music ;  A.  P.  Root  and  A.  A.  Clark, 
of  penmanship. 

■*•''  The  great  value  of  this  school  was  shown  b}-  Superintendent  Hins- 
dale, who  said  in  his  report  for  1886,  that  of  the  603  teachers  in  the  schools 
in  the  year  before,  240  Avere   graduates  of  the   Normal  School ;  that  the 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


4^3 


administration,  the  number  of  teachers  in  the  schools  in- 
creased from  123  to  473;  and  the  pupils  from  9,643  to 
26,990,  It  was  generally  admitted  that  the  schools  of  the 
city  had  reached  a  high  grade  of  efficiency.  A  diploma 
was  received  from  the  Vienna  Exposition,  for  a  display  of 
plans  of  buildings ;  the  Cleveland  schools  were  placed  at 
the   head  of    the   list,  in   a   report    to  the   committees  of 


THE    sril.l.MAN     HOIKI., 


Council  on  Education  for  England;  the  French  Commis- 
sioners placed  the  Cleveland  schoolhouses  ahead  of  all 
American  competitors ;  while  one  English  expert  declared 
with  enthusiasm,  that  Cleveland  had  the  best  schools  in 

school  had  "  strongly  tended  to  raise  the  standard  of  general  culture  and 
of  professional  ability  of  the  teachers. ' '  The  successive  principals  of  this 
school  have  been:  Alexander  Forbes,  Elroy  ^I.  Avery,  Oliver  Arey,  Ellen 
G.  Reveley,  and  Lemira  W.  Hughes. 


4b4  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

the  world.  The  work  of  the  Cleveland  schools  stood  in 
the  first  rank,  in  the  educational  exhibits  of  the  Centen- 
nial Exposition  of  1876. 

On  the  retirement  of  Mr.  Rickoff,  he  was  succeeded  by 
B.  A.  Hinsdale,  whose  administration  extended  from  1882 
to  1886.  The  new  incumbent  was  widely  known,  as 
president  of  Hiram  College,  and  as  a  writer  upon  educa- 
tional and  historical  subjects.  He  attempted  no  marked 
changes  of  management,  following  the  general  lines  laid 
down  by  his  predecessor;  but  endeavored  to  keep  clear 
of  routine  methods  of  thought  and  instruction  —  giving 
the  pupils  not  only  good  teaching,  but  leading  them  to 
think  and  reason  upon  their  own  responsibility;  make 
the  system  more  elastic,  and  freer  from  set  rules  of  in- 
struction. The  main  features  of  his  administration  can 
be  learned  from  the  following  figures:  The  increase  in 
the  number  of  pupils,  from  1882  to  1886,  was  from  26,990 
to  32,814;  fourteen  fine  school  buildings  were  erected;  the 
night  schools  increased  from  one  to  nine ;  and  the  average 
attendance,  in  all  of  the  schools,  was  materially  increased. 

Superintendent  Hinsdale  was  succeeded,  in  1886,  by  L. 
W.  Day,  who  had  been  for  years  an  efficient  supervisor 
of  instruction.  The  later  superintendents  have  been  as 
follows:  Andrew  S.  Draper,  1892  to  1894;  L.  H.  Jones, 
1894  to  date.  The  changes,  in  time  past,  in  the  manage- 
ment of  the  schools  have  been  noted  already,  and  yet 
another  was  made  on  March  8,  1892,  when  the  Ohio 
Legislature  passed  an  act,  providing  for  the  reorganization 
of  the  Cleveland  Board  of  Education.  It  was  decreed 
that  all  legislative  authority  should  be  vested  in  a  school 
council  of  seven  members,  elected  at  large,  and  all  exec- 
utive authority  in  a  school  director,  who  also  should  be 
elected  by  popular  vote.  All  subordinates  were  to  be  ap- 
pointed bv  the  director,  with  the  exception  of  the  teach- 
ers, who  were  to  be  selected  by  the  superintendent  of  in- 
struction, who,  in  turn,  was  to  be  chosen  by  the  school 
director.  The  city  auditor,  city  treasurer,  and  corpo- 
ration counsel,  were  to  occupy  the   same    respective   re- 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  465 

lations  to  the  school  department.  On  March  17,  1893, 
the  Legislature  passed  an  act  establishing  a  sinking  fund, 
to  provide  for  the  then  outstanding  bonded  indebtedness 
of  the  school  department.  The  following  gentlemen  were 
appointed  members  of  the  board  of  commissioners  having 
that  fund  in  charge:  S.  W.  Sessions,  Myron  T.  Herrick, 
Albert  L.  Withington,  William  F.  Carr,  and  William  J. 
M  organ.  ^^ 

A.  leading  event  of  1883  was  the  campaign  so  vigorous- 
ly carried  on,  with  Cleveland  as  headquarters,  for  the 
passage  of  an  amendment  to  the  Constitution  of  Ohio  for- 
bidding the  liquor  business.  The  Woman's  Christian 
Temperance  Union  of  Ohio  had  urged  the  matter  with 
such  vigor  that  the  Legislature  submitted  to  the  people 
two  amendments  to  the  Constitution,  one  removing  froin 
that  document  the  declaration  that  there  should  be  no 
liquor  licenses  granted  in  the  State,  and  placing  the  whole 
matter  in  the  hands  of  the  Legislature,  and  the  other  to- 
tally forbidding  the  making  or  selling  of  intoxicating 
liquors  to  be  used  as  a  beverage."'-'' 

The  temperance  women  of  Ohio  went  to  work  to  per- 
suade the  voters  to  support  this  Second  Amendment. 
The  State  headquarters  of  the  union  were  in  Cleveland, 
with  Mary  A.  Woodbridge  in  charge.  The  local  union 
worked  with  earnestness  in  assistance,  under  the  guiding 
spirit  of  F.  Jennie  Duty,  one  of  the  early  "crusaders," 
and  a  foremost  spirit  in  the  founding  and  management  of 
the  Friendly  Inns. 

The  campaign  was  conducted  with  an  earnestness  and 

''■*  The  figures  here  given  are  from  the  annual  report  of  the  school  de- 
partment for  the  year  ending  August  31,  1895:  Enumeration  of  children 
of  school  age,  91,453;  registered  in  the  elementary  and  high  schools, 
48,345;  attending  the  Normal  Training  School,  231 ;  average  daily  attend- 
ance in  all  the  schools,  36,540;  average  number  of  teachers  employed 
during  the  year,  1,048. 

*'  The  wording  of  this  proposed  amendment  was  as  follows:  "  The 
manufacture  of  and  traffic  in  intoxicating  liquors  to  be  used  as  a  beverage 
are  forever  prohibited ;  and  the  General  Assembly  shall  provide  by  law 
for  the  enforcement  of  this  provision." 


466 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


effective  vigor  that  was  an  object-lesson  to  politicians  of 
the  other  sex  and  of  more  extended  political  experience. 
Mass  meetings  were  held  in  the  Tabernacle  every  Sab- 
bath eveninof-  Services  were  held  in  the  churches  on 
Sabbath  mornings  and  week-day  evenings,  at  which  the 
Second  Amendment  Avas  preached  about  and  prayed  over. 
Out-door  meetings  were  held  again  and  again.  "  Second 
Amendment  ' '  wagons  were  sent  about  the  streets  to  at- 
tract attention  to  these  gatherings  ;  the  ' '  Second  Amend- 
ment Herald"  was  founded,  audits  circulation  reached 
many  thousands.      Active  organizations  were   formed   in 

everv  ward,  women  were 
pledged  to  work  all  day  at 
the  polls;  pamphlets,  cir- 
culars, and  tracts  were  pre- 
pared and  sent  out,  by 
hundreds  of  thousands.  ^^ 
The  services  of  a  great 
many  men  in  sympathy 
with  the  movement  were 
enli.sted,  and  an  advisory 
committee  was  formed, con- 
sisting of  the  following 
well-known  gentlemen  : 
Joseph  Perkins,  J.  D. 
Rockefeller,  E.  C.  Pope,  W.  H.  Doan,  J.  B.  Meriam,  Ed- 
ward S.  Meyer  and  Alva  Bradley.  Mr.  Perkins  and  Mr. 
Rockefeller  orave  not  onlv  of  their  time  and  advice,  but 
also  quite  largely  of  their  money,  to  aid  a  cause  in  which 
both  took  such  personal  interest. 

Election  day  arrived,  and  the  great  question  was  put  to 
the  decisive  test  of  the  ballot  box.  The  excitement  and 
labor  in  Cleveland  were  duplicated  in  all  parts  of  the 
State.      "  In   thirteeen   wards   in   this   city,"  writes  Miss 

•»"  "  In  ten  weeks,"  says  one  historian  of  this  great  movement,  "  1,372,- 
370  pages  of  Second  Amendment  literature  was  given  out  by  the  Cleveland 
W.  C.  T.  U."  This  is  from  an  article  entitled,  "  History  of  the  Second 
Amendment  Campaign  in  Cleveland,"  by  F.  Jennie  Duty,  in  "Amend- 
ment Herald  "  of  March  13,  1SS4. 


MAVUK    JOHN    H.     KARI.KV. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  467 

Duty,  in  the  account  heretofore  referred  to,  "the  women 
were  at  the  polls  on  election  day.  They  had  rented 
stores,  or  obtained  rooms  in  houses  opposite  or  very  near 
the  polling-  places,  and  fitted  them  up  for  W.  C.  T.  U. 
headquarters.  These  were  decorated,  in  a  womanly  fash- 
ion, with  banners,  mottoes,  flags  and  flowers.  This  was 
accomplished  the  day  before  election,  and  at  six  o'clock 
the  next  morning  the  women  were  at  the  polling  places. 
In  a  few  wards  they  did  not  go  out  upon  the  sidewalk,  but 
remained  within  their  headquarters,  served  lunches  to  the 
workers,  and  talked  with  those  who  came  to  them." 

So  far  as  practical  results  were  concerned,  this  earnest 
labor  went  for  naught.  Both  amendments  were  lost,  the 
vote  in  the  State  standino-  as  follows:  Whole  number  of 
votes  cast  in  the  State,  721,310;  for  the  First  Amend- 
ment, 99,849;  for  the  Second,  323,189.  The  whole  num- 
ber of  votes  cast  in  Cuyahoga  County:  39,514;  for  the 
First  Amendment,  2,850;  for  the  Second,  12,954. 

A  great  flood  in  the  Cuyahoga  Valley,  accompanied  by 
fire,  was  also  among  the  events  of  importance  in  1883. 
Heavv  rains  in  earlv  Februarv  had  swollen  the  river  to 
manv  times  its  usual  size,  and  a  rise  of  ten  feet  in  near 
twice  that  many  hours  caught  many  unawares,  and  almost 
at  one  sweep  lumber,  to  the  value  of  three  hundred  thou- 
sand dollars,  was  swept  out  into  the  lake.  Damage  was 
done  all  over  the  Flats,  bridges  carried  away,  railroad 
embankments  washed  out,  vessels  wrecked,  and,  finally, 
damage  by  fire.  A  tank  of  five  thousand  barrels  of  oil 
blew  up  in  the  Great  Western  Oil  Works,  and  the  burning 
oil  spread  over  the  rushing  waters.  Next  below  were  the 
paraffine  works  of  Meriam  &  Morgan,  which  were  set  on 
fire  by  the  burning  oil ;  and  the  destruction  of  the  im- 
mense works  of  the  Standard  Oil  Company  seemed  immi- 
nent. Some  of  the  outworks  were  burned,  and  only  a 
culvert  that  had  become  gorged  with  lumber  vSaved  the 
many  acres  of  stills  and  buildings  from  entire  destruc- 
tion. It  was  a  scene  that  will  never  be  forgotten,  by  the 
thousands  who  gazed  upon  it  —  the  valley  under  water. 


4b8  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

and  the  whole  expanse  lighted  up  by  the  burning  of 
acres  of  oil  spread  out  upon  the  waters.  The  loss,  from 
flood  and  fire,  reached  nearly  three  quarters  of  a  million 
dollars. 

A  still  greater  and  more  dangerous  conflagration  upon 
the  Flats,  and  one  that  for  a  time  threatened  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  business  portion  of  the  city,  occurred  in  the 
year  following,  on  the  evening  of  Sunday,  vSeptember  7, 
1884.  The  fire,  which  was  believed  to  have  been  the 
work  of  incendiaries,  commenced  in  the  lumber  yards  of 
Woods,  Perry  &  Coinpany.  The  great  piles  of  lumber  all 
about  were  in  a  blaze  in  a  moment,  and  although  the 
firemen  were  upon  the  ground  at  the  earliest  possible  mo- 
ment, the  conflagration  was  beyond  their  control.  Al- 
most in  an  instant,  acres  and  acres,  upon  the  south  side  of 
the  river,  covered  with  lumber  and  planing  mills,  were 
in  one  huge  blaze.  The  flames  swept  down  upon  the 
docks,  across  the  river  to  a  lard  refinery,  and  seemed  de- 
termined to  sweep  straight  across  to  Superior  street,  and 
destroy  all  that  great  business  section.  By  this  time,  the 
entire  city  department  had  been  pressed  into  service ; 
dispatches  asking  for  aid  had  been  sent  to  Akron,  Tole- 
do, Painesville,  Youngstown  and  other  neighboring  cities, 
and  by  eleven  o'clock  nine  steamers  had  been  rushed  in 
by  train  and  were  at  work.  The  local  militia  were  or- 
dered under  arms,  to  protect  property,  and  give  their  serv- 
ice, if  the  need  should  arise.  Anxious  thousands  lined 
the  hillsides,  all  about  the  valley.  It  was  well  toward 
Monday  morning  before  the  heroic  efforts  of  the  firemen 
were  crowned  with  success,  and  the  fire  was  under  con- 
trol. The  losses  in  this  great  conflagration  amounted  to 
$801,250. 

It  was,  also,  in  1884,  on  January  5th,  that  Cleveland's 
second  venture  in  modern  theatres,  the  Park  Theatre, 
suffered  almost  total  destruction  by  fire.  A  very  attract- 
ive structure  had  been  erected  on  the  north  side  of  the 
Public  vSquare,  during  the  summer  preceding,  by  Henry 
Wick,  and  successfully  opened  on  October  22nd,  under  the 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  46g 

management  of  A.  F.  Hartz.  On  the  date  alcove  men- 
tioned, an  explosion  of  gas  set  the  whole  interior  on  fire, 
and  in  a  few  minutes  nothing  was  left  but  the  outside 
walls.  It  was  fortunately  in  the  forenoon,  so  that  there 
was  no  loss  of  life.  The  First  Presbyterian  Church,  ad- 
joining it, was  also  damaged,  to  the  extent  of  twenty  thou- 
sand dollars.      The  theatre  was  rebuilt  in  i8<S5.-*' 

Still  another  change  in  the  courts  having  direct  juris- 
diction in  Cuyahoga  County  was  made  in  the  fall  of  1,884, 
in  obedience  to  an  amendment  to  the  State  Constitution. 
The  election  for  judges  of  the  newly-established  Circuit 
Court  occurred  in  the  fall  of  the  year  named,  the  first  sit- 
ting occurring  in  February,  1885.  This  court  succeeded 
the  District  Court,  which  had  gone  out  of  existence. 
The  first  judges  elected  for  the  Sixth  Judicial  District, 
having  jurisdiction  in  the  counties  of  Cuyahoga,  Summit, 
Lorain,  Huron,  ]\Iedina,  Erie,  Sandusky,  Ottawa,  and  Lu- 
cas, were  William  H.  Upson,  Charles  C.  Baldwin  and 
George  R.  Haynes.  The  circuit  was  so  changed,  in  1888, 
as  to  comprise  only  the  counties  of  Cuyahoga,  Lorain, 
Summit  and  ^Medina.     As  this  placed  Judge  Haynes  in 

••'  In  this  connection  the  actual  fire  losses  in  Cleveland  since    1S54  may 
be  of  interest: 

1854 — $302,724.76  1S6S— $300,451.76  1882 — $    364,646.08 

1855 —     96,008.68  1S69 —  196,985.19 

1S56—  115,342.40  1S70—  378,635.61 

1857—  88,765.55  1871—  300,453.77 

1858 —  29,050.80  1S72 —  309,725.22 

1859—  50,903.50  1873—  348,410-94 
i860—  35,506.80  1874—  641,504.37 
i86i —  102,045.50  1875 —  137,102.66 

1862—  87,150.28  1876—  253,559.75 

1863 —  96,008.68  1877 —  25,910.00 
1S64—  115,360.50  1S7S—  207,836.95 

1865—  261,341.48  1879—  215,357.96 

1866 —  173,990.62  1880 —  268,799.58 

1867 —  206,902.83  1881 —  365,400.58 
By  the  courtesy  of  A.  I.  Truesdell,  secretary  of  the  Cleveland  Board  of 

Underwriters,  the  following  points  of  information  can  be  added:  The 
amount  of  premiums  written  in  Cleveland  in  fire  insurance  during  1895, 
was  a  little  over  $1,250,000.  Losses  for  the  past  twelve  f)r  thirteen  years 
have  averaged  about  60  per  cent. 


IS83- 

502,449.92 

1884— 

1,522,861.84 

1885— 

429,241.73 

1886— 

105,879.39 

1887— 

277-573-10 

IS88— 

541,248.85 

I8S9 

373,009.88 

1890 — 

308,482.03 

i8gi — 

1,076,260.01 

1892— 

1,482,020.79 

1S93— 

684,472.16 

1894— 

643,012.90 

1895— 

524,014.23 

470  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


another  circuit,  Hugh  J.  Caldwell  was  elected  as  his  suc- 
cessor. The  work  assigned  this  court  was  the  reviewing 
of  the  action  in  the  lower  courts,  in  such  cases  as  were 
carried  up  on  appeal,  or  otherwise. 

An  incident  connected  with  the  legal  profession  of 
Cleveland  occurred  in  iS<S5,  illustrative  of  the  fact  that 
the  modern  woman  —  not  then  classified  as  the  "new" 
woman  —  was  invading,  as  never  before,  the  professions 
previously  followed  exclusively  by  the  men.  This  was 
the  appearance  of  the  first  woman  lawyer  in  Cleveland. 
Mary  P.  Spargo,  who  had  been  born  in  this  city,  and  was 
educated  in  its  schools,  determined  to  fit  herself  for  the 
practice  of  the  profession,  and  accordingly,  in  1882,  en- 
tered the  office  of  Morrow  &  Morrow,  as  a  student.  In 
1885,  shew  as  admitted  to  practice  by  the  Ohio  Supreme 
Court  —  having  been  previously  refused  an  appointment 
as  notarv  public,  on  the  ground  that  the  constitution 
would  not  permit  it  —  and  opened  an  olfice  in  Cleveland. 
Of  her  success  in  the  early  days  of  the  venture  it  has 
been  said:  "It  was  Miss  Spargo's  intent  and  expectation 
that  her  clientage  would  be  among  her  own  sex.  But 
while  her  practice  is,  and  has  been,  largely  among 
women,  vet  it  has  been  by  no  means  confined  to  them; 
neither  has  it  confined  itself  to  a  round  of  clerical  or  sub- 
ordinate duties.  It  may  be  said,  with  entire  justification, 
that  in  the  four  years  of  her  practice,  she  has  managed, 
and  settled,  as  great  a  variety  of  cases  as  usually  falls  to 
the  lot  of  any  young  attorney." 

Still  following  the  records  of  the  courts,  we  find  a  law 
passed  by  the  State  Legislature,  in  1886,  which  quite  ma- 
terially affected  the  interests  of  that  humble,  but  very  use- 
ful, portion  of  the  judiciary,  the  justices  of  the  peace.  It 
was  decreed  that  in  place  of  fees,  upon  which  these  ofii- 
cials  had  subsisted  from  time  immemorial,  salaries  should 
be  paid  —  eighteen  hundred  dollars  per  annum  for  the 
justice,  six  hundred  for  clerk  hire,  three  hundred  for 
office  rent.  All  fees,  etc.,  Avere  to  be  paid  into  the  city 
treasurv. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  471 


An  entertaining-  chapter  could  be  written  upon  the  jus- 
tice courts  of  Cleveland,  that  had  their  origin  back  in 
those  early  days  of  the  township,  of  which  we  ha\'e  al- 
ready written,  when  James  Kingsbury  first  sat  upon  this 
bench  of  the  court  of  first  resort ;  where  he  was  soon 
joined  by  Rodolphus  Edwards,  Timothy  Doan,  and  other 
pioneers,  who  knew  more  about  farming  and  woodcraft 
than  they  did  of  law.^"^  Ashbel  W.  Walworth  was  five 
times  elected  to  the  office.  Harvey  Rice  donned  the  cloak 
of  office  onlv  two  vears  after  reaching  Cleveland.  From 
1826  to  1840,  we  find  these  familiar  names  upon  the  list: 
E.  Waterman,  A'arnum  Card,  Job  Doan,  vSamuel  Under- 
hill.  Gerdon  Fitch,  Andrew  Cozad,  A.  D.  vSmith,  Porter 
Wells,  and  George  Hoadly  —  of  whose  valuable  labors  in 
this  office  some  mention  has  already  been  made.  A  little 
later  came  \.  F.  Benedict,  John  Day,  John  Gardner,  and 
John  Barr  —  who  served  three  terms,  was  a  noted  writer 
upon  the  early  history  of  Cleveland,  and  served  in  other 
offices  with  credit  to  himself,  and  to  the  satisfaction  of  the 
people.  Later  justices,  before  the  period  of  the  Civil  War, 
were  M.  Barnett,  Edward  Hessenmueller,  Isaac  Sherman, 
Charles  L.  Fish,  James  D.  Cleveland,  George  W.  Lynde, 
Geoge  B.  Tibbetts,  Erastus  vSmitli,  Almon  Burgess,  John 
Philpott,  George  H.  Benham,  Henry  Chapman,  Isaac  C. 
Vail,  John  R.  Fitzgerald,  Madison  Miller,  Wells  Porter, 
and  Samuel  Foljambe.  A  full  list  of  the  incumbents  in 
these  later  years,  and  this  large  city,  can  hardly  be  given, 
but  among  the  best  known  may  be  mentioned  George 
Hester,  George  A.  Kolbe,  George  Arnold.  Edgar  Sowers. 
Homer  Strong,  David  L.  Wood,  John  P.  Green  (the  first 
colored  justice  of  the  city);  Charles  H.  Babcock,  Felix  Nic- 
ola, E.  R.  Griswold,  E.  H.  Bohm,  and  Levi  F.  Bauder. 
Of  the  record  made  by  these  courts,  and  of  the  character 
of  the  justices  themselves,  it  has  been  well   said  by  one 

■*'^  The  story  is  told  that  Edwards  wrote  out  his  summons  in  this  original 
form;  "  In  the  name  of  God,  amen.  Take  Notice  that  We,  Rodolphus 
Edwards,  a  Justice  of  the  Peace  bv  the  Grace  of  the  Almighty,  do  hereby 
Summons  you  to  appear  before  Us,  under  dread  of  Du-e  penalties  and 
Severe  tribulations. ' ' 


47^ 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


competent  to  judge:  "  Of  the  majority  of  the  men  who, 
in  Cuyahoga  County,  have  sat  upon  this  lesser  bench, 
there  is  no  reason  to  feel  otherwise  than  proud.  They 
have,  with  few  exceptions,  administered  the  duties  of 
their  office  with  discretion  and  ability.  Many  of  them 
have  filled  other  positions  of  trust  with  fidelity  and  signal 
integrity.  All  of  them  have  been  the  people's  choice, 
and  the  people  have  rarelv  erred. ' '  ^" 

An  event  of  importance  to  Cleveland  was  the  passage, 
on  May  19,  1886,  of  a  law  for  the  creation  of  a  board  of 
elections,  and  the  organization  of  that  board,  on  June  5th. 

The  following  gentlemen 
were  the  first  members: 
James  Barnett,  President; 
William  W.  Armstrong,  J. 
H.  Schneider,  and  Herman 
Weber.  William  J.  Glea- 
son  was  elected  Secretary.-^ 
The  board  was  created  for 
the  purpose  of  carrying  out, 
in  this  section,  the  provis- 
ions of  the  ballot  laws  of 
Ohio.  These  laws  placed 
the  control  of  all  caucuses 
and  elections  under  State 
supervision,  and  in  a  large  measure  eliminated  the  abuses 
which  had  crept  into  the  conduct  of  elections.  The  board 
has  charge  of  all  elections  in  Cleveland  and  in  Cuyahoga 
County.  There  are  at  present  1 74  voting  precincts  in  the 
city  and  31  in  the   townships.      There  are    1,230   election 


MAYOR    GEO.    AV.     GARDNER. 


«  "  The  Justices  and  their  Courts,"  by  W.  R.  Rose. 
Bar  of  Cleveland,"  p.  59. 


The  Bench  and 


^0  The  board  has  had  but  few  changes  in  membership,  in  the  ten  years 
of  its  existence.  Those  who  have  served,  or  are  in  service  at  present,  in 
addition  to  the  members  above  named,  are  John  F.  Weh,  Victor  Gutzweiler, 
W.  M.  Bayne,  Percy  W.  Rice,  Hugh  Buckley,  Jr.,  Carl  Claussen,  Samuel 
Etzensperger,  and  Edward  C.  Kenney.  Secretary  Gleason  was  succeeded 
by  Charles  P.  Salen,  who  served  from  iSgoto  1894,  and  who,  in  turn,  was 
succeeded  by  L.  J.  Rowbottom,  whose  term  expires  in  1S9S. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  473 

officers  in  the  city  and  tcnvnships.  The  total  expenses  of 
the  board  in  1895.  were  $48,987.31,  but,  in  view  of  re- 
sults, the  people  seem  satisfied  that  even  this  large  sum 
was  not  a  losing  investment. 

The  early  days  of  1887  witnessed  the  beginning  of  a  se- 
ries of  events,  connected  with  the  criminal  history  of 
Cleveland,  that  attracted  widespread  attention,  and  were 
attended  by  results  of  a  tragical  nature.  On  the  night  of 
January  29th,  burglars  entered  the  fur  store  of  Benedict 
&  Reudy,  and  carried  away  goods  to  the  value  of  several 
thousand  dollars.  The  city  police  were  enabled  to  trace 
the  stolen  property  to  the  town  of  Bedford,  and  from 
thence  to  Allegheny  City,  Pa.  The  police  of  the  city 
last  named  discovered  and  arrested  one  of  the  robbers, 
Harry  McMun,  or  James  Kennedy,  and  notified  Cleve- 
land of  that  fact.  They  were  not  able  to  find  the  goods, 
which  disappeared,  and  have  never  been  heard  from 
since. 

On  February  3rd,  Capt.  Henry  Hoehn,  of  the  Cleveland 
force,  went  to  Allegheny  after  the  prisoner.  He  was  to 
have  been  accompanied  by  Detective  Jacob  J.  Lohrer, 
who  had  obtained  the  necessary  requisition  papers ;  but 
at  the  last  moment  Lohrer  was  detained,  because  of  an- 
other case  in  Cleveland,  and  Detective  William  H.  Hulli- 
gan  was  sent  in  his  stead. 

The  officers  left  Allegheny  City  for  home,  on  the  mid- 
night train  of  February  5th,  with  the  prisoner  in  their 
custody.  At  three  o'clock  in  the  morning,  while  the 
train  was  standing  at  the  station  in  Ravenna,  O.,  they 
were  attacked  suddenly  by  three  armed  men,  who  shot 
Captain  Hoehn  in  the  leg  and  arm,  and  struck  Detective 
Hulligan  with  an  iron  coupling-pin,  fracturing  his  skull. 
The  brave  Hoehn  fought  desperately,  but  was  finally 
overcome,  while  the  unconscious  Hulligan  was  dragged 
outside  the  car,  his  keys  taken  from  him,  and  the  brace- 
lets that  bound  him  to  the  prisoner  unlocked.  The  pris- 
oner and  his  rescuers  disappeared  in  the  darkness. 

The  wounded  officers  were  brought  to  Cleveland.      Hul- 


474  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

ligan  died  on   February  8th,  while   Hoehn  eventually  re- 
covered.-''^ 

The  Cleveland  police  worked,  as  never  before,  for  the 
apprehension  of  the  ruffians  who  had  made  this  murder- 
ous assault  upon  two  of  their  number.  Rewards  w^ere 
offered  by  the  City  of  Cleveland,  the  county  of  Cuyahoga, 
the  township  of  Ravenna,  and  the  Cleveland  &  Pittsburg 
Railway  Company.  On  June  27th,  three  men,  John 
Coughlin,  James  Robinson,  and  Charles  Morgan — -better 
known  as  "  Blinky  "  ^Morgan  —  were  arrested  by  vSheriff 
Lynch,  of  Alpena,  ]\lich.,  after  a  desperate  struggle,  in 
which  the  sheriff  received  a  shot  in  the  leg,  from  which 
he  afterward  died.  All  three  were  identified  by  Captain 
Hoehn,  as  belonging  to  the  assaulting  party.  They  were 
brought  to  Cleveland  on  July  ist,  and  taken  to  Ravenna 
for  trial.  On  November  2nd,  Morgan  was  found  guilty  of 
murder  in  the  first  degree  and  sentenced  to  be  hanged, 
which  sentence  was  carried  into  execution  in  Columbus, 
at  the  Penitentiary,  in  the  following  ]\Iarch.''~ 

•■'  Henrv  Hoehn  was  born  in  Bavaria,  and  came  to  the  United  States 
when  fourteen  years  of  age.  He  served  in  the  Union  Army  during  the 
Rebellion,  making  an  excellent  record,  and  was  mustered  out  of  service 
m  August,  1S65.  On  May  i,  1S66,  he  was  appointed  a  patrolman  on  the 
Cleveland  police  force,  and  advanced  steadily  in  the  line  of  promotion,  be- 
coming a  captain  in  1S77.  On  July  i,  1S93,  he  was  appointed  to  the  office 
of  Superintendent  of  Police,  to  succeed  Jacob  \V.  Schmitt,  resigned.  In 
accordance  with  his  own  request,  Superintendent  Hoehn  was  retired,  in 
July,  1896.     Lieutenant  George  E.  Corner  was  appointed  to  the  vacancy. 

■'-'  The  tragedy  of  which  the  abov^e  was  the  culmination,  was  perhaps  the 
greatest  m  the  criminal  line  that  has  formed  a  part  of  the  record  of  Cuya- 
hoga County.  Other  leading  crimes  and  executions  have  been  as  follows: 
James  Parks,  hanged  June  i,  1855,  for  the  murder  of  William  Beatson; 
John  W.  Hughes,  hanged  February  g,  1S66,  for  the  murder  of  Tamzen 
Parsons;  Alexander  McConnell,  executed  August  10,  1S66,  for  the  killing 
of  Mrs.  William  Colvin;  Lewis  Davis,  hanged  February  4,  1869,  for  the 
killing  of  David  P.  Skinner;  John  Cooper,  hanged  April  25,  1872,  for 
the  murder  of  a  colored  man  named  vSwing;  Stephen  Hood,  hanged  April 
20,  1874,  for  the  killing  of  Green  Hood;  William  Adin,  hanged  June 
22,  1 870,  for  the  murder  of  his  wife,  his  stepdaughter,  and  Mrs.  George 
L.  Benton;  Charles  R.  McGill,  hanged  February  13,  1S79,  for  the  killing 
of  ]\Iary  Kelley.  This  was  the  last  legal  hanging  ever  witnessed  in  Cuya- 
hoga County,  the  law  being  so  changed  that  all  executions  in  Ohio  should 
occur  within  the  walls  of  the  State  Penitentiarv,  at  Columbus. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  47s 

Coughlin  and  Robinson  were  also  tried  and  found 
guilty,  but  a  new  trial  was  granted,  and  as  the  evidence 
was  not  considered  sufficient  for  further  steps,  both  were 
set  free. 

The  Cleveland  Board  of  Industry  and  Improvement, 
must  be  counted  among  the  active  forces  which  have  been 
at  work,  in  recent  years,  to  keep  Cleveland  up  to  the 
level  of  her  great  opportunities.  In  1H87,  the  so-called 
"Federal  plan,"  for  the  bettering  of  Cleveland's  form  of 
municipal  government,  was  under  serious  consideration, 
and  several  meetings  in  support  thereof  were  held  in  the 
rooms  of  the  Board  of  Trade.  Out  of  this  grew  a  propos- 
al to  form  a  Coinmittee  of  One  Hundred,  composed  of 
business  men  eminent  in  commercial,  manufacturing  and 
mercantile  pursuits,  who  should  discuss,  investigate  and 
aid  all  possible  measures  advanced  for  the  city's  general 
good.  An  organization  was  accordingly  formed  under 
the  above  name,  the  first  officers  of  which  were  as  fol- 
lows :  President,  James  Barnett  ;  }^icc- President ,  Thomas 
Axworthy;  Secretary,  X.  X.  Crum ;  Treasnrer,  Charles  H. 
Bulkley.  Work  of  an  effective  character  was  commenced, 
and  much  was  done  and  published  showing  the  outside 
world  what  Cleveland  had  to  offer  to  money,  industry,  or 
inventive  genius  seeking  a  location.  The  summary  of 
plan  and  purpose  has  been  thus  tersely  stated  ■J'^  ' '  Other 
places  were  offering  inducements  of  all  kinds,  to  gain  new 
enterprises,  and  the  call  for  an  organization  here  to  take 
up  similar  work  met  with  a  ready  response.  A  systematic 
plan  of  action  was  outlined,  and  correspondence  taken  up 
with  the  promoters  of  various  new  enterprises,  as  well  as 
concerns  already  in  operation  that  were  looking  to  en- 
largement of  their  operations,  through  more  advantageous 
locations.  The  new  body  accomplished  a  great  deal  in 
this  way."  The  eventual  merging  of  its  work  into  a 
greater  organization,  the  Chamber  of  Commerce,  will  be 
noted  at  a  later  point. 

=^  "  Annual  Report  of  the  Trade  and  Commerce  of  Cleveland,"  1S92,  p. 
164. 


47(}  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


Engineering-  skill  and  a  wise  use  of  the  public  money 
again  demonstrated  to  the  world,  in  1888,— as  down  by 
Superior  street  it  had  been  shown  a  decade  previous,  — 
that  Cleveland  could  secure  all  the  advantages  to  be  de- 
rived  from  the  Cuyahoga  Valley  and,  at  the  same  time, 
be  relieved  from  the  necessity  of  descending  into  it,  in 
order  to  cross  from  one  section  of  the  city  to  the  other. 
The  East  vSide  and  the  West  Side  had  been  united  by  a 
great  viaduct,  and  steps  were  not  long  after  taken  to  con- 
nect the  important  and  growing  South  Side  with  them 
both.  On  March  3,  1879,  James  M.  Curtiss,  who  repre- 
sented the  section  last  named  in  the  City  Council,  intro- 
duced a  resolution  directing  the  city  engineer  to  "  report 
the  most  feasible  plan  of  improving  the  communication 
between  the  vSouth  Side  and  the  central  part  of  the  city." 
This  resolution  was  adopted,  but  little  or  nothing  seems 
to  have  been  done  about  it  at  the  time,  as  the  city  had  not 
yet  been  fully  persuaded  that  the  stone  bridge  at  vSupe- 
rior  street  was  a  paying  investment. 

It  was  generally  agreed,  after  a  time,  that  the  new  line 
of  elevated  communication  was  a  necessity,  and  steps 
were  taken  to  make  Mr.  Curtiss "s  suggestion  effective. 
In  1883,  a  resolution  was  passed  by  the  City  Council,  di- 
recting that  the  question  of  an  "elevated  roadway" 
should  be  submitted  to  popular  vote,  at  the  spring  elec- 
tion. It  was  carried,  by  a  majority  of  some  six  hundred. 
A  little  later,  the  City  Council  recommended  the  passage 
of  a  law  appropriating  one  million  dollars  for  the  purpose 
of  carrying  this  verdict  into  effect.  Such  law  was  passed 
with  little  trouble,  and  the  matter  then  lay  quiet,  with 
the  exception  of  discussion  as  to  routes,  until  July,  1885, 
when  the  City  Council  declared  in  favor  of  the  con.struc- 
tion  of  a  bridge  from  near  the  junction  of  Ohio  street  with 
Hill  street  on  the  East  Side,  to  Jennings  avenue  on  the 
South  Side,  the  same  to  be  carried  in  a  straiofht  line.  An 
ordinance  embodying  this  decision  was  passed  on  Decem- 
ber 14,  1885,  contracts  were  let,  and  the  work  commenced 
early  in  1886.     Ground  for  the  Abbey  Street  Viaduct  was 


THE  HISTOR  J  ■  OF  CLE  VELA  ND.  477 

broken  on  April  26tli.  and  for  the  main,  or  Central,  on 
May  5tli.  On  December  11.  1888,  the  great  new  struc- 
ture, that  hung  so  lightly  and  gracefully  across  the  wide 
valley,  and  so  far  above  the  Cuyahoga  River,  was  publicly 
opened  and  dedicated  to  the  public  use.  A  long  proces- 
sion of  inilitia  and  other  troops  escorted  carriages  filled 
with  city  officials  and  prominent  citizens  across  the  struc- 
ture, moving  by  way  of  the  three  viaducts  in  the  order 
named,  Superior,  Abbey,  and  the  Central.  When  Jen- 
nings avenue  was  reached,  the  soldiers  were  drawn  up  in 
line,  and  at  the  very  entrance  of  the  Central  bridere  the 
procession  halted,  and  Zenas  King,  president  of  the  King 
Iron  Bridge  &  Manufacturing  Company,  in  behalf  of  him- 
self and  the  other  contractors  engaged  in  the  construc- 
tion of  the  work,  made  a  formal  speech,  transferring  to 
Mayor  B.  D.  Babcock  the  completed  structure.  When 
Mr,  King  had  completed  his  remarks,  the  mayor  said: 
"Citizens  of  Cleveland,  in  behalf  of  two  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  people,  I  accept  this  bridge  and  dedicate  it  to  the 
use  of  the  people." 

The  procession  then  moved  over  to  the  City  Hall,  and 
passed  in  review  before  the  mayor,  and  other  officials  and 
guests.  In  the  evening,  the  event  was  further  commemo- 
rated, by  a  grand  banquet  at  the  Hollenden  House,  where 
fully  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  of  the  most  prominent 
men  of  the  city  sat  down.  Mayor  B.  D.  Babcock  presided, 
and  addresses,  in  response  to  appropriate  toasts,  were  made 
by  Walter  P.  Rice,  city  engineer;  F.  C.  McMillin;  Mayor 
Blake,  of  Canton;  M.  M.  Hobart,  James  M.  Curtiss,  W. 
R.  Rose,  H.  M.  Claflen,  W.  E.  vSherwood,  John  Eisen- 
mann,  C.  G.  Force,  and  B.  F.  Morse.  The  following 
figures  as  to  this  great  structure,  may  be  of  interest  in  this 
connection  :  Cost,  $675,574;  length  of  the  floor  of  the 
Cuyahoga  portion,  2,838  feet;  height  above  city  base  of 
levels  at  river,  99  feet  2  inches ;  above  river  at  ordinary 
stages,  10 1  feet;  height  above  Nickel  Plate  railroad 
tracks,  33  feet;  length  of  draw  span,  239  feet;  width  of 
roadway,  40  feet;  sidewalks,  8   feet;  Walworth  Run  por- 


4.78  THE  HIS  TOR  V  OF  CLE  VELA  ND. 


tion,  1,092  feet  long;  height  above  city  base  of  levels,  105 
feet  6  inches ;  width  of  roadway,  40  feet. 

Another  event  directly  connected  with  municipal  Cleve- 
land, but  of  a  far  less  pleasing  character  than  the  opening 
of  this  great  thoroughfare,  occurred  in  the  fall  of  the  same 
year  —  1888.  This  was  the  defalcation  and  flight  of  Thomas 
Axworthy,  city  treasurer.  The  public  record  of  Cleve- 
land has  been  comparatively  so  clean,  and  malfeasance  in 
oihce  so  rare,  that  this  occurrence  startled  the  people  as 
few  things  could  have  done,  the  more  especially  as  Mr. 
Axworthy  had  been  a  trusted  and  honored  citizen  for 
years,  of  the  greatest  popularity  with  all  classes.  He  left 
Cleveland  on  September  28th,  and  after  he  had  been 
absent  some  days,  rumors  began  to  circulate  that  all  was 
not  as  it  should  be,  in  connection  with  the  city  treasury. 
On  October  24th,  the  startling  news  was  published  that 
the  treasurer  had  become  a  defaulter,  in  the  sum  of  a  half 
million  dollars,  had  carried  bodily  away  in  his  flight  two 
hundred  thousand  dollars,  and  had  sought  refuge  in  a  for- 
eign land.  It  was  shown,  later,  that  he  had  gone  to  Eng- 
land, taking  with  him  a  portion  of  the  missing  funds. 
Andrew  Squire,  as  attorney  for  the  treasurer's  bondsmen, 
followed  him  as  soon  as  possible,  and  opened  negotiations 
that  ended  in  Axworthy  turning  over  $160,000,  and  pos- 
session of  all  of  his  property  in  this  city,  for  the  purpose 
of  making  good  the  city's  loss. 

The  misappropriated  funds  belonged  to  the  city  in  its 
municipal  capacity,  and  to  the  Board  of  Education,  the  city 
treasurer  acting  in  the  same  capacity  for  the  school  de- 
partment. Neither  the  city  nor  the  board  eventually  lost 
.anything,  except  the  use  of  the  money  while  the  case  was 
in  litigation.  The  actual  shortage  was  found  to  be  some- 
thing over  $440,000.  In  addition  to  the  money  turned 
over  to  Mr.  Squire,  as  above  mentioned,  Axworthy's 
property  in  Cleveland  was  found  to  be  good  for  about 
$155,000.  This  left  some  $125,000,  which  the  treasurer's 
bondsmen  made  good.  During  his  official  life  as  treas- 
urer, h©-had  given  some  six  bonds,  with  different  bonds- 


THE  HISTOR  V  OF  CLE  VELA  ND.  47g 

men,  and  the  shortage  was  divided  among  them.  These 
gentlemen  were  Selah  Chamberlain,  T.  P.  Handy,  James 
F.  Clark,  J.  H.  Wade,  H.  B.  Payne,  W.  J.  Gordon,  and 
John  Tod. 

Cleveland  has  been  enriched,  at  various  times,  by  the 
magnificent  benefactions  of  her  wealthy  men,  and  the 
deeds  of  Leonard  Case,  J.  H.  Wade,  John  D.  Rockefeller, 
W.  J.  Gordon,  Amasa  Stone,  and  others  have  been  men- 
tioned, from  time  to  tiine,  in  these  pages.  In  1 889,  another 
name  was  added  to  this  growing  list,  when  John  Hunting- 
ton ^  established  a  permanent  fund,  to  be  known  as  the 
"John  Huntington  Benevolent  Trust."  On  March  8th, 
Mr.  Huntington  invited  a  number  of  gentlemen,  among 
whom  were  the  proposed  custodians  of  this  trust,  to  his 
residence,  where  he  made  a  formal  statement  as  to  his 
purpose.  As  trustees,  he  had  chosen  Edwin  R.  Perkins, 
John  V.  Painter,  Samuel  E.  Williamson,  Charles  W. 
Bingham,  John  H.  Lowman,  Henry  C.  Ranney,  and 
James  D.  Cleveland.  In  their  hands  he  placed  the  sum 
of  $200,000,  the  income  of  which  was  to  be  divided  among 
some  nineteen  public  institutions,  of  a  charitable  or  educa- 
tional character,  by  him  named. 

Yet  another  donation  for  public  uses  was  received  in 
1890,  when  Horace  Kelley,  a  member  of  the  well-known 
pioneer  family  of  that  name,  who  was  born  in  the  city  in 
1819,  left  a  bequest  of  $500,000,  for  the  founding  of  a  na- 
tional gallery  of  arts. 

Cleveland  was  the  favored  witness,  in  1889,  of  a  gather- 
ing out  of  which  has  grown  one  of  the  most  useful  and 
influential   of    the   younger  church  organizations  of    the 

^-i  John  Huntington  was  born  in  Preston,  England,  on  March  8th,  1832. 
He  came  to  America  in  1854,  and  made  Cleveland  his  home;  carried  on 
a  roofing  business ;  became  interested  in  oil  in  the  early  days ;  became  a 
stockholder  in  the  Standard  Oil  Company,  and  made  a  great  fortune.  He 
also  interested  himself  in  local  political  affairs  at  an  early  date,  entered 
the  City  Council,  where  he  remained  for  years,  and  was  connected  with 
the  inception  and  carrying  out  of  many  of  Cleveland's  most  important 
public  works.  He  was  always  a  firm  believer  in  the  city's  future.  Mr. 
Huntington  died  on  January  loth,  1893,  in  London,  England 


48o 


THE  HIS  TORY  OF  CLE  VEL  A  ND. 


world.  On  May  14th  of  that  year,  there  gathered  in  the 
Central  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  on  Willson  avenue, 
representatives  from  various  young  people's  societies  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  for  the  purpose  of  tak- 
ing such  steps  as  might  bring  them  all  into  closer  and 
more  harmonious  relations.  The  result  was  that  these 
societies  were  merged  into  one  new  organization, —  the  Ep- 
worth  League, —  the  object  of  which  was  declared  to  be  the 
promotion  of  "intelligent  and  loyal  piety  in  the  young 
members  and  friends  of  the  church,  to  aid  them  in  the 
attainment  of  purity  of  heart,  and  in  constant  growth  in 


CENTRAL    METHODIST    EITSCOTAL    CHrRCH  "    IN     iSSq. 

grace,  and  to  train  them  in  works  of  mercy  and  help."^^ 
A  very  important  change  in  Cleveland's  form  of  mu- 
nicipal government  went  into  effect  in  the  early  days  of 
1 89 1.  It  was  the  substitution  of  the  so-called  "  Federal 
plan"  for  the  irregular  and  somewhat  disjointed  system 
that  had  prevailed  before.  The  power  that  had  been  scat- 
tered among  various  officials,  commissions  and  boards  was 
concentrated  into  the  hands  of  two  bodies  —  the  legisla- 
tive or  City  Council,  and  the  executive  or  Board  of  Con- 
trol. The  change  was  the  result  of  much  discussion  and 
long-continued  agitation,  on  the  part  of  the  people,  and 

*  On  the  site  of  this  church  the  present  handsome  Epworth  Memorial 
church  was  erected  in  1893. 

°°  "  Epworth  League  Workers,"  by  Jacob  Embury  Price,  p.  30. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


481 


through  the  public  press.  So  far,  the  new  system  seems 
to  have  proven  itself  a  great  improvement  upon  the  old. 
The  law ''''  which  authorized  this  change  was  passed  by 
the  Ohio  Legislature,  in  March,  1891,  and  elections  under 
its  provisions  were  held  in  the  April  following.  Con- 
densed into  a  brief  space,  it  provided  as  follows  :  The 
legislative  power  and  authority  to  be  vested  in  a  council, 
to  consist  of  twenty  members,  to  be  elected  by  districts, 
each  of  whom  should  serve  for  two  years.  All  ordi- 
nances, resolutions  or  orders  to  be  submitted  to  the  mayor 
for  approval,  and  in  case  of  disapproval,  the  measure  could 
be  passed  over  his  veto,  by  a  two-thirds  vote.     A  police 


f;||s\\\«)!™iiiiinipiipi!i!iiiii!iii!i("if^» 


BIRTHPLACE    OF    THE    EPWORTH    LEAGUE. 

force,  a  fire  force,  and  a  health  department  to  be  estab- 
lished and  maintained.  The  executive  power  to  be 
lodged  in  the  hands  of  the  mayor  and  heads  of  depart- 
ments here  named:  A  mayor,  treasurer,  police  judge, 
prosecuting  attorney,  and  clerk  of  the  police  court  to  be 
chosen  by  the  people  at  the  regular  elections.  The  fol- 
lowing departments  to  be  created:  Public  works,  police, 
fire,  accounts,  law.  and  charities  and  correction.  Each  was 
to  be  in  charge  of  a  director,  appointed  by  the  mayor,  on  con- 
firmation by  the  City  Council,  for  a  term  ending  with  that 

'•^  This  act  was  entitled:  "  A  Bill  to  provide  a  more  efficient  Government 
for  the  Cities  of  the  Second  Grade  of  the  First  Class."  Passed  March  16, 
1891. — Ohio  Laws,  Vol.  88,  p.  105. 


482  THE  HIS  TO  R  \ '  OF  CLE  VELA  ND. 

of  the  mayor  appointing.  The  mayor  to  receive  a  salary 
of  six  thousand  dollars  per  annum ;  the  director  of  law 
five  thousand  dollars,  and  each  of  the  other  directors 
four  thousand.  Each  member  of  the  City  Council  was  to 
receive  five  dollars  for  attendance  upon  each  regular 
meeting.  The  mayor  and  heads  of  departments  to  have 
seats  in  the  Council,  with  the  right  to  take  part  in  its  delib- 
erations, but  not  to  vote.  The  duties  of  the  mayor  and 
heads  of  departments  were  clearly  defined.  A  Board  of 
Control  was  created,  consisting  of  the  mayor  and  the 
heads  of  departments  above  named,  to  meet  at  least  twice 
each  week.  A  supplementary  law,  passed  April  lo,  1891, 
provided  that  in  case  of  disability  or  absence  of  the  mayor, 
the  duties  of  his  office  should  devolve  upon  the  heads  of 
departments  in  the  order  named  :  Law,  public  works, 
police,  fire,  accounts,  and  charities  and  correction. 

The  first  election  under  this  "Federal  plan"  occurred 
in  the  April  succeeding  its  passage  (1891),  and  resulted  in 
the  choice  of  William  G.  Rose  for  mayor.  His  selections 
for  heads  of  departments  were  as  follows :  Law,  Edward 
S.  Meyer  ;  public  works,  R.  R.  Herrick  ;  fire  service, 
George  W.  Gardner;  ■''''  police,  John  W.  Gibbons;  accounts, 
F.  C.  Bangs;  charities  and  correction,  David  Morison. 
William  W.  Armstrong  was  elected  city  treasurer,  How- 
ard H.  Burgess,  city  clerk ;  C.  A.  Davidson  became  presi- 
dent of  the  City  Council,  Albert  Straus,  vice-president; 
and  the  members  of  that  body  were  as  follows:  E.  E. 
Beeman,  B.  W.  Jackson,  P.  J.  McKenney,  P.  C.  O'Brien, 
J.  C.  Farnfield,  J.  K.  Bole,  C.  A.  Davidson,  A.  J.  Michael, 
Albert  Straus,  Walter  I.  Thompson,  D.  O.  Caswell,  E.  C. 
Angell,  John  Skyrm,  M.  J.  Herbert,  Michael  Riley,  M. 
C.  Malloy,  John  Vilhelm,  W.  A.  Spilker,  Jos.  J.  Ptak, 
and  Fred.  M.  Glessen. 

The  Western   Reserve   Historical  Society  took  a  new 

•'■'  When  the  newly-created  Board  of  Control  held  its  first  session,  it  con- 
tained an  unusual  amount  of  municipal  experience,  having  no  less  than 
three  ex-mayors  among  its  members — W.  G.  Rose,  R.  R.  Herrick,  and 
George  W.  Gardner. 


THE  HIS  TORY  OF  CLE  VELA  ND.  483 

lease  of  life,  and  gave  renewed  pledges  for  permanent  use- 
fulness by  its  reorganization  and  incorporation,  in  1892. 
As  has  been  previously  shown,  it  was  first  organized  as  a 
branch  of  the  Cleveland  Library  Association  (now  Case 
Library),  under  amendments  to  the  constitution  of  that 
association,  which  permitted  such  branches  to  be  formed. 
In  the  vear  above  named  it  was  thought  best  that  the 
Historical  Society  should  be  organized  with  a  separate 
charter,  and  such  step  was  accordingly  taken,  in  March, 
1892.  The  incorporators  were  Henry  C.  Ranney,  D.  W. 
Manchester,  Amos  Townsend,  William  Bingham,  Charles 
C.  Baldwin,  David  C.  Baldwin,  Percy  W.  Rice,  James  D. 
Cleveland,  and  A.  T.  Brewer. ^^  It  was  declared  that  the 
purpose  for  which  the  corporation  had  been  formed  was 
not  for  profit,  but  to  "discover,  collect  and  preserve  what- 
ever relates  to  the  history,  biography,  genealogy  and  an- 
tiquities of  Ohio  and  the  West,  and  of  the  people  dwelling 
therein,  including  the  physical  history  and  condition  of 
the  State ;  to  maintain  a  museum  and  library,  and  to  ex- 
tend knowledge  upon  the  subjects  mentioned  by  literary 
meetings,  by  publications,  and  by  other  proper  means." 

A  movement  was  set  on  foot  for  the  raisingf  of  funds, 
with  which  to  purchase  for  the  society  the  building  for- 
merly occupied  by  the  Society  for  vSavings,  on  the  Public 
Square,  of  which  the  Historical  Society  was  for  years  a 
tenant.  So  earnest  was  the  work  of  those  in  charge,  and 
so  generous  the  response,  that  in  April,  1892,  the  transfer 
was  made,  for  the  sum  of  ^40,000,  and  the  organization 
found  itself  in  an  adequate  and  well-located  home  of  its 
own.  Its  range  of  usefulness  has  continually  widened, 
and  new  accessions  are  being  made  constantly  to  its 
store-house  of  treasures.  In  the  latter  part  of  1895,  and 
in  the  early  days  of  1896,  the  exigencies  of  the  occasion 
seemed  to  make  it  the  part  of  wisdom  to  seek  a  new 
home.     Steps  were  accordingly  taken  looking  toward  the 

^^  A  complete  history  of  this  reorganization  may  be  found  in  tlie  society's 
ptibhcations,  Tract  No.  85,  entitled  "Charter  and  Reorganization  of  the 
Society,   1891-92." 


484  THE  HISTOR  V  OF  CLE V ELAND. 

sale  of  the  society's  property  on  the  Public  Square  for  the 
use  of  the  proposed  Chamber  of  Commerce  building,  and 
the  finding  of  a  new  home  in  East  Cleveland,  in  the  vicin- 
ity of  Wade  Park. 

It  would  be  difficult  to  name  an  institution  within  the 
limits  of  Cleveland  that  deserves  a  more  generous  support 
than  the  Western  Reserve  Historical  Society.  Its  useful- 
ness is  apparent.  A  summary  of  its  treasures  has  recent- 
ly been  made  by  a  gentleman  ^'^  whose  enthusiasm  is  begot- 
ten of  knowledge,  and  whom  I  am  permitted  to  quote 
here:  "In  cooperation  with  the  managers  of  Case  Li- 
brary, the  Western  Reserve  Historical  Society  has  col- 
lected books  and  pamphlets  along  many  special  lines, 
which  cannot  now  be  duplicated  in  the  other  libraries.  It 
already  has  about  10,000  volumes  of  bound  books,  and 
more  than  10,000  pamphlets  and  magazines  of  great  his- 
torical value,  besides  more  than  1,000  bound  volumes  of 
newspapers,  in  which  both  the  local  and  general  history 
of  the  country  is  kept  within  reach  of  historians  and  in- 
vestigators. Its  collection  of  maps  also,  numbering  more 
than  1,000,  is  not  to  be  excelled  anywhere  in  the  West. 
Many  of  these  are  of  the  townships  of  the  Western  Re- 
serve, made  by  the  original  surveyors,  and  which  cannot 
be  duplicated.  These  are  often  of  untold  value  to  attor- 
neys in  settling  early  titles  to  land.  The  Society  has 
also  a  large  collection  of  autographs  of  early  statesmen, 
while  its  collection  of  o-enealosfical  literature  is  one  of 
the  largest  in  the  country.  This  is  consulted  constantly, 
by  an  increasing  circle  of  patrons  desirous  of  knowing 
their  early  family  history.  The  museum  proper  is  of  the 
very  greatest  interest  and  value.  To  it  belong  the  last 
memorials  of  President  Garfield.  On  its  walls  are  pre- 
served a  large  number  of  portraits  of  the  pioneers  and 
most  distinguished  men  of  Cleveland,  and  of  the  Western 
Reserve.  To  it  belongs  Colonel  Whittlesey's  remarkable 
collection  of  relics  of  the  early  copper  miners  in  the  Lake 
Superior  region,  together  with  various  large  collections  of 

*^  "  Precious  Records." — "  Cleveland  Plain  Dealer,"  Maj^  20,  1S95. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  483 


stone  and  flint  implements  from  Ohio  and  other  parts  of 
the  world,  which  money  could  not  purchase.  Among 
them  is  a  unique  collection  of  paleolithic  implements,  from 
Europe,  and  Trenton,  N.  J.,  including  the  celebrated 
Newcomerstown  paleolith,  presented  by  Mr.  ]\Iills.  A 
good  authority  has  estimated  that  $1,000,000  would  not 
gather  so  valuable  a  collection  and  library  as  that  which 
is  now  owned  by  the  society,  while  much  of  it  is  of  mate- 
rial which  could  not  be  duplicated." 

The  society  has  also  gathered,  from  various  sources, 
the  publications  of  the  United  States  Government,  to  the 
number  of  thirty-three  thousand  volumes.  It  has  recent- 
ly been  made  a  United  States  depository,  and  will  here- 
after regularly  receive  all  such  publications.*^^ 

^0  The  Society  is  still  in  able  hands,  the  officers  (April,  1S96)  being  as 
follows:  President,  Henry  C.  Ranney;  corresponding  secretary,  Albert  L. 
Withington ;  recording  secretary,  Wallace  H.  Cathcart ;  treasurer,  Horace 
B.  Corner;  librarian  and  curator,  Peter  Neff.  Mr.  Neff  is  industriously 
and  intelligently  devoted  to  his  responsibilities  as  executive  officer,  and 
the  writer  is  under  obligation  to  him,  in  connection  with  various  points 
of  information  in  the  present  work. 


X 


CHAPTER   XVI I L 

IX    GREATER    CLEVELAND. 

In  the  record  of  1848,  mention  was  made  of  the  found- 
ine  of  the  Cleveland  Board  of  Trade,  and  the  time  has 
come  to  redeem  the  promise  there  made,  and  show  to  what 
useful  extent  that  humble  association  has  grown.  A  law 
was  passed  by  the  Ohio  Legislature,  in  1866,  recognizing 
such  organizations  and  providing  for  their  government. 
The  Board  of  Trade,  accordingly,  on  April  5th  of  the  year 
named,  surrendered  its  articles  of  association,  and  reor- 
sranized  under  the  new  law,  becoming  a  chartered  institu- 
tion,  with  the  name  of  the  "Board  of  Trade  of  the  City  of 
Cleveland."  The  objects  of  this  association  were  de- 
clared to  be  the  promotion  of  integrity,  good  faith  and 
equitable  principles  of  business;  "to  discover  and  correct 
abuses ;  to  establish  and  maintain  uniformity  in  commer- 
cial usages;  to  acquire,  preserve  and  disseminate  valuable 
business  statistics  and  information ;  to  prevent  or  adjust 
controversies  and  misunderstandings  which  may  arise  be- 
tween persons  engaged  in  trade,  and  generally  to  foster, 
protect  and  advance  the  commercial,  mercantile  and 
manufacturing  interests  of  the  city." 

Dail}'^  meetings  were  held  at  that  time  in  the  Atwater 
Building,  on  Superior  street.  There  were  but  twenty 
members  in  the  new  organization.^'^     By  1892,  its  mem- 

"  The  names  attached  to  this  charter  of  1S66  were  as  follows:  Philo 
Chamberlain,  A.  V.  Cannon,  R.  T.  Lyon,  E.  D.  Childs,  J.  C.  Sage,  W.  F. 
Otis,  A.  Hughes,  M.  B.  Clark,  C.  W.  Coe,  W.  Murray,  H.  S.  Davis,  S.  F. 
Lester,  J.  E.  White,  A.  Quinn,  J.  H.  Clark,  George  W.  Gardner,  S.  W. 
Porter,  E.  C.  Hardy,  H.  D.  Woodward,  and  George  Sinclair.  Mr.  Weath- 
erly  held  the  oflfice  of  president  from  184S  to  1864,  when  he  was  succeeded 
by  S.  F.  Lester.  The  presidents  of  the  board,  and  of  the  Chamber  of 
Commerce,  its  su:cessor,  from  1S48  to  1S96,  with  the  year  of  election,  have 
been  as  follows:  1848,  Joseph  L.  Weatherly;  1864,  S.  F.  Lester;  1865 
Philo  Chamberlain;  1867,   W.   F.   Otis;  1868,   George  W.    Gardner;    1869, 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.   .  487 


bership  had  grown  to  485,  and  a  surplus  of  $20,000  had 
been  laid  aside,  for  the  purehase  of  a  site  and  the  erec- 
tion of  a  building. 

With  the  growth  of  the  city,  and  a  realization  of  the 
needs  of  Greater  Cleveland,  came  the  desire  to  make  this 
commercial  organization  more  useful,  and  to  increase  the 
scope  of  its  work.  "In  August  of  this  year,"  says  the 
report  for  1892,  "the  Committee  on  the  Promotion  of  In- 
dustry began  the  collection  of  what  is  known  as  the  busi- 
.ness  men's  fund,  and  the  organization  of  a  movement, 
within  the  Board  of  Trade,  made  up  of  subscribers  to  this 
fund. ' '  Through  earnest  work  on  the  part  of  a  few  active 
members  of  the  board,  this  fund  ran  up  to  a  considerable 
sum  of  money  in  a  short  period.  Seven  business  men, 
from  among  the  subscribers  to  the  fund,  were  added  to  the 
original  Board  of  Trade  committee,  and  a  new  general 
committee  formed,  as  follows,  to  conduct  the  industrial 
work:  Wilson  M.  Day,  Chairman;  L.  E.  Holden,  Vice- 
Chairman;  George  T.  Mcintosh,  Secretary;  H.  R.  Groff, 
Treasurer  ;  A.  J.  Wright,  Michael  Baackes,  Myron  T. 
Herrick,  C.  C.  Burnett,  L.  W.    Bingham,  L.  McBride,  D. 

A.  Dangler,  Geo.  Deniing,  J.  B.  Perkins,  S.  M.  Strong  and 
W.  J.  Morgan.  This  committee,  representing  nearly  one 
hundred  of  the  most  substantial  and  progressive  business 
concerns  of  the  city,  met  on  September  24th  and  appointed 
Ryerson  Ritchie  to  the  position  of  superintendent  of  indus- 
try."*^^'     The  special  labors  of  this  able  official  Avere  the 

R.  T.  Lyon;  1S70,  A.  J.  Begges;  1871,  Thomas  Walton;  1S72,  Charles 
Hickox:  1873,  B.  H.  York;  1874,  F.  H.   Morse;   1875,   H.   Pomerene ;  1877, 

B.  A.  DeWolf;  1879,  Daniel  Martin;  1886,  William  Edwards;  1888,  George 
W.  Lewis;  1889,  William  Edwards;  1893,  Henry  R.  Groff;  1894,  Luther 
Allen;  1895,  Wilson  M.  Day;  1896,  J.  G.  W.  Cowles.  The  treasurers  have 
been:  1848,  R.  T.  Lyon;  1865,  J.  H.  Clark;  1867,  J.  F.  Freeman;  1870,  J. 
D.  Pickands;  1871,  A.  Wiener;  1872,  S.  S.  Gardner;  1879,  Theodore  Sim- 
mons; 1884,  X.  X.  Crum;  1887,  A.  J.  Begges;  1894,  Geo.  S.  Russell;  1896, 
Samuel  Mather.  The  secretaries:  1848,  Charles  W.  Coe;  1849,  S.  S  Coe; 
1854,  H.  B.  Tuttle;  i860,  C.  W.  Coe;  1862,  H.  B.  Tuttle;  1864,  Arthur  H. 
Quinn;  1865,  J.  C.  Sage;  1879,  Theodore  Simmons;  1884,  X.  X.  Crum; 
1887,  A.  J.  Begges;  1893,  Ryerson  Ritchie  (present  incumbent). 

•5-  "Annual  Report  of  the  Trade  and  Commerce  of  Cleveland,"  1892,  p.  151. 


488  THE  HIS  TOR  Y  OF  CLE  VELA  ND. 

encouraging  of  new  mannfacttiring  and  mercantile  estab- 

^lishments  to  locate  in  Cleveland,  the  securing  of  advan- 
.tageoUvS  freight  facilities  for  shippers,  the  collection  and 

^  dissemination  of  statistics,  a  study  of  the  Ohio  tax  laws, 

with  a  view  to  reformation  of  the  same,  the  watching  of 

V  State  and  municipal  legislation  having  reference  to  Cleve- 

^^  land,  and  the  general  co-operation  of  business  men,  in  all 
questions  relating  to  the  city's  interests. 

The  active  and  able  committeemen  named  above,  and 
their  associates  in  the  Board,  had  not  studied  the  condi- 
tions surrounding  them,  and  the  possibilities  lying  before 
them,  very  deeply,  before  they  were  led  to  the  conclusion 
that  a  radical  change  in  the  base  of  operations  was  a  mat- 
ter essential  to  the  largest  degree  of  success.  As  a  result, 
the  Cleveland  Board  of  Trade  was  legally  reorganized, 

^  its  name  chanofed  to  the  Cleveland  Chamber  of  Com- 
merce,  and  its  functions  greatly  enlarged.  At  a  meeting 
of  the  older  organization,  on  February  6,  1893,  held  in 
conformity  with  the  laws  of  the  State,  a  resolution  was 
adopted,  as  follows:  "  That  the  name  of  the  Board 
of  Trade  of  the  City  of  Cleveland  be  changed  to  the 
Cleveland  Chamber  of  Commerce."  In  explanation  of 
this  movement,  we  quote  as  follows  from  the  report  *^'^ 
of  the  board  of  directors  of  the  Chamber,  made  on  April 
17,  1894:  "To  the  enterprise  and  untiring  efforts  of  the 
Board  of  Trade  Committee  on  Promotion  of  Industry  is 
due  the  successful  organization  of  the  Cleveland  Chamber 
of  Commerce.  The  persistent  energy  of  that  committee 
resulted  in  crystalizing  a  sentiment  among  business  men 
in  favor  of  a  wider  interest  in  progressive  measures,  a 
stronger  faith  in  the  advantage  to  the  city  of  united  work, 
and  the  necessity  of  having  an  organization  so  well 
equipped  that  it  would  invite  the  active  interest  of  busi- 
ness men." 

Soon  after  the  change  of  name  and  character,  above  de- 
scribed, was  accomplished,  a  new  set  of  by-laws  went  into 

"•■"The  Cleveland  Chamber  of  Commerce:  Reports  and  Proceedings," 
1894,  p.  II. 


THE  HISTOR  V  OF  CLE V ELAND.  489 

operation.  Those  which  had  governed  the  older  organi- 
zation were,  says  the  report  above  quoted,  "suited  particu- 
•larly  to  an  organization  where  dealing  in  grain,  provis- 
ions, etc.,  was  carried  on;  they  were  not  appropriate  for 
ja  deliberative  body,  representing  equally  every  trade  in- 
terest, and  embracing  within  its  membership  a  large  num- 
ber of  professional  men."  The  new  laws  adopted  by  the 
Chamber  contained,  among  many  others,  the  distinctive 
features  here  summarized  :  There  were  to  be  active, 
honorary  and  associate  members.  ' '  Men  of  good  standing, 
interested  in  the  commercial,  industrial  and  municipal  ad- 
vancement of  the  City  of  Cleveland, ' '  were  eligible  for  the 
first-named  class.  A  membership  fee  of  twenty-five  dol- 
lars, and  annual  dues  of  twenty  dollars,  were  required  of 
each  active  member.  Three  classes  of  membership  seats 
were  provided:  Regular  membership  seat,  at  a  cost  of  one 
hundred  dollars ;  special  membership  seat,  at  a  cost  of  five 
hundred  dollars ;  a  life  membership  seat,  at  a  cost  of  one 
thousand  dollars.  The  government  of  the  Chamber  was 
to  be  vested  in  a  board  of  fifteen  members,  elected  annually, 
the  officers  to  consist  of  a  president,  two  vice-presidents, 
a  treasurer  and  a  secretary.  Committees  were  to  be  ap- 
pointed on  arbitration,  boards  and  associations,  building, 
education,  entertainment,  executive,  legislation,  library, 
manufactures,  membership,  municipal,  navigation,  trade- 
extension  and  transportation.  It  was  further  decreed  that : 
"Any  number  of  members  who  may  desire  to  be  associated 
together  as  a  board,  exchange,  society,  or  association,  for 
the  purpose  of  promoting  more  effectively  the  special 
trade,  industry,  business  or  profession  in  which  they  are 
interested,  may  form  a  board  of  the  Cleveland  Chamber 
of  Commerce."  A  sinking  fund  was  created,  for  the  erec- 
tion of  a  Chamber  of  Commerce  building. 

The  general  plan  of  labor  laid  down  for  this  great  and 
powerful  commercial  organization  is  outlined  in  the  above. 
How  thoroughly,  and  with  what  success,  that  work  was 
commenced  and  has  been  carried  forward,  only  the  com- 
pleted history  of  Greater  Cleveland  will  be  able  to  show. 


4go  THE  HISTOR  Y  OF  CLEVELAND. 


An  examination  of  the  able  reports  of  the  Chamber  for 
1894  and  1895  furnishes  some  interesting  information. 

New  rooms  in  the  Arcade  were  occupied  on  June  i , 
1893,  and  formally  opened  on  the  evening-  of  the  20th. 
So  useful  did  these  become,  as  a  center  of  business  Cleve- 
land, that  between  January  i  and  April  17,  1894,  108 
meetings  of  various  kinds  were  held  within  them.  Some 
of  the  vStrictly  public  questions  which  the  Chamber  took 
into  consideration,  and  concerning  which  it  made  its  in- 
fluence felt,  were  the  location  of  the  new  armory,  the 
proposed  opening  of  Bank  street,  various  measures  in 
which  Cleveland  was  interested  in  connection  with  the 
World's  Fair,  the  question  of  transportation  as  bearing 
on  Cleveland  business,  the  securing  of  a  new  Federal 
building,  a  series  of  excursions  by  representatives  of 
wholesale  and  manufacturing  establishments  into  territory 
outside  of  Cleveland,  for  the  purpose  of  fostering  a  closer 

■^personal  relationship  between  the   country  and  the  city 

^merchants;  concerning  city  taxes,  the  establishment  of  a 
branch  hydrographic  office  in  Cleveland,  action  looking 

^•to  a  reduction  of  insurance  rates,  the  raising  of  funds  for 
the  relief  of  suffering  caused  by  the  industrial  depression, 
action  looking  to  a  due  observance  of  Cleveland's  Centen- 
nial of   1 896,  the  improvement  of  the  street  railway  serv- 

^ice,  the  agitation  of  general  municipal  improvement,  the 
adoption  of  a  new  system  of  recording  receipts  and  ship- 
ments  of  freight,  harbor  improvement,  the  extension  of 
manufactures.  State  taxation,  the  improvement  of  the 
city's  park  system,  and  other  points  of  a  less  important 
nature.  The  report  of  the  secretary,  on  April  9,  1894, 
showed  total  receipts  for  the  year  of  $49,560.92  ;  a  balance 
in  the  treasury  of  $30,569.61  ;  a. membership  of  901. 

A  special  work  of  great  importance  is  thus  referred  to 
in  the  report:  "The  Chamber  should  be  especially  proud 
of  the  successful  issue  of  its  efforts  to  bring  together,  in 
one  organization,  the  local  commercial  associations  of  the 
State,  to  promote  by  unity  of  action  the  commercial,  in- 
dustrial, financial  and  general  business  interests  of  Ohio. 


THE  HIS  TOR  V  OF  CLE  V ELAND.  4gi 

^-^The  commercial  conference  called  by  the  Chamber,  on 
November  15th,  was  attended  by  fifty-five  representative 
business  men,  delegated  by  the  leading  commercial  bodies 
of  the  State.  The  report  of  the  board  of  directors,  recom- 
mending that  a  conference  be  called  for  the  purpose  of 
organizing  a  State  board  of  commerce,  was  submitted  and 
adopted  by  the  Chamber,  on  the  evening  when  its  new 
rooms  were  formally  opened.  .  .  .  The  formative 
work,  and  subsequent  meetings  of  the  vState  Board  and  its 
council,  indicate  that  it  has  already  become  an  influential 
factor,  and  that  it  has  prompted  local  organizations  and 
business  men  generally  to  take  a  greater  interest  in  ques- 
tions which  affect  the  welfare  and  prosperity  of  the  people 
of  Ohio.  The  Chamber  may  well  congratulate  itself  that 
the  Ohio  State  Board  of  Commerce  was  conceived  and 
founded  through  its  efforts. 

The  annual  report  for  1895  showed  that  there  were  held 
in  the  rooms  of  the  Chamber,  during  the  year,  524  meet- 
ings, of  which  337  were  related  directly  to  the  work  of 
the  organization,  159  of  local  affiliated  associations,  and 
28  of  conventions  and  delegates.  A  point  of  exceeding 
interest  is  found  in  this  statement,  made  by  the  directors: 
"  Standing  out  prominently  in  the  public  eye,  over  and 
above  the  quiet,  regular  work  of  the  Chamber,  is  the 
splendid  achievement  of  having,  within  a  few  months, 
made  certain  the  early  building  of  a  permanent  home  for 
the  Chamber,  by  the  accumulation  of  a  fund  of  almost 
$200,000."'^"'  A  great  many  measures  had  been  set  in 
motion,  discussed  or  approved  by  the  Chamber,  for  the 
advancement  of  the  general  interests  of  Cleveland,  all  of 
which  were  clearly  and  fully  set  forth  in  the  report  re- 
ferred to  above.  The  report  of  the  treasurer  showed  that 
the  net  cash  resources  of  the  Chamber,  on  April  9,  1895, 
amounted  to  $108,629.96.  The  sinking  fund  showed 
$188,292.88  assets  and  no  liabilities.  The  total  member- 
ship was  1,101. 

"■■"The  Cleveland  Chamber  of  Commerce:   Reports  and  Proceedings," 
1895,  p.  43. 


492  THE  HIS  TOR  V  OF  CLE  VELA  ND. 


Since  that  report  was  made,  active  and  effective  steps 
have  been  taken  to  make  good  the  promise  of  a  structure 
which  should  not  only  furnish  the  Chamber  with  a  home, 
but  also  stand  as  a  material  representative  of  what  that 
great  body  actually  is.  The  block  of  land  on  the  north 
side  of  the  Public  Square,  running  eastward  from  the  new 
Society  for  Savings  Building  to  Park  place,  and  taking  in 
the  site  of  the  Western  Reserve  Historical  Society  Build- 
ing, has  been  purchased,  and  plans  made  for  the  early  con- 
struction of  a  building  which,  with  the  land,  shall  cost 
not  less  than  a  half  million  dollars. 

The  Cleveland  Chamber  of  Commerce  is  unique  among 
institutions  of  its  kind.  It  is  said  to  be  the  first  successful 
attempt  to  combine  all  of  the  interests  of  a  great  city  into 
one  strong,  powerful  organization,  that  should  guard  and 
foster  them  all.  In  its  list  of  members  may  be  found  not 
only  the  merchants  and  the  bankers,  but  vessel,  owners, 
manufacturers,  builders,  lawyers,  physicians,  editors, 
brokers,  railroad  men, —  in  short,  all  lines  of  labor  and 
all  the  professions. 

In  a  more  material  sense,  the  new  structure  is  to  be- 
come the  center  of  the  commercial  and  business  interests 
of  Cleveland,  and  a  home,  not  only  for  the  Chamber,  but 
for  its  allied  associations  as  well.  It  is  intended  to  house 
such  bodies  as  those  of  the  coal  men,  the  iron  men,  the 
builders,  the  manufacturers,  the  marine  men,  etc. 

Because  of  the  wide  range  of  labor  and  opportunity  fur- 
nished b}'  this  great  commercial  body,  other  interests  of 
a  similar  nature  have  been  merged  into  it.  By  a  concert 
of  action,  the  Cleveland  Board  of  Industry  and  Improve- 
ment, the  Committee  on  Promotion  of  Industry,  the  Pro- 
duce Exchange  and  the  Manufacturers'  Board,  simultane- 
ously went  out  of  existence,  leaving  a  clear  field  for  the 
Chamber.  The  work  done  by  these  bodies  is  now  in  the 
hands  of  separate  boards  and  committees.  These,  so 
far  as  organized,  are  the  Transportation  Board,  Maritime 
Board  and  Manufacturers'  Board. 

The  Chamber's  trip  to  Atlanta,  Ga.,  was  the  first  that 


Proposed  Chamber  of  Commerce  Building. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


493 


body  took  outside  the  State,  although  it  had  previously 
visited  the  principal  Ohio  cities,  on  a  tour  of  a  similar 
nature.  This  State  trip  was  so  successful  in  a  social  way, 
gave  such  a  fillip  to  the  zeal  of  the  members,  and,  niost 
of  all,  brought  such  valuable  practical  results,  that  the 
Chamber  thought  that  even  greater  good  would  result 
from  this  more  extended  excursion.  So,  therefore,  on  No- 
vember 12,  1895,  two  hundred  members  of  the  Chamber 
took  a  special  train  for  Atlanta.  When  that  citv  was 
reached,  the  tourists  occupied  the  Illinois  headquarters, 
where  a  reception  was  tendered  them  on  November  14. 
Speeches  of  welcome  were 
made  by  Mayor  Porter  and 
J.  D.  Courtney,  of  the  Cap- 
ital City  Club.  Mayor  Mc- 
Kisson,  President  Day,  of 
the  Chamber  of  Commerce, 
and  Col.  J.  J.  Sullivan  re- 
sponded for  the  Cleveland 
visitors.  After  that,  the 
time  until  November  i6th 
was  given  up  to  sight-see- 
ing, and,  as  was  most  nat- 
ural, to  advertising  Cleve-  "  i''  f 
land  and  a  laudable  attempt 
to  extend  its  business  inter- 
ests in  this  new  quarter.  On  November  i6th,  the  party 
left  Atlanta,  and  arrived  in  Cleveland  November  17th, 
very  well  satisfied  with  the  trip,  from  every  pr)int  of 
view. 

There  are  also  in  existence  in  Cleveland  a  number  of 
organizations  of  lesser  note,  devoted  to  fields  of  special 
labor,  that  largely  and  effectively  supplement  the  more 
public  work  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce.  Among 
these,  mention  should  be  made  of  the  Cleveland  Builders' 
Exchange,  composed  of  builders,  merchants  and  luanu- 
facturers  engaged  in  the  building  lines;  the  Real  Estate 
.Board,  incorporated  in  1892,  to  improve  the  standing  of 


MAYOR    1;.     I).     IIAIK'DCK. 


4g4  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

the  brokers  in  real  property,  and  to  stimulate  activity  in 
that  line  of  business;  the  Wholesale  Grocers'  Association, 
and  the  Hardware  Jobbers'  Association. 

"  Commodore  Perry,"  as  the  marble  memorial  to  the 
hero  of  Lake  Erie  is  popularly  called,  stood  calmly 
through  the  rains  and  storms  of  the  years,  in  the  very 
center  of  the  Public  Square,  until  increasing  traffic  and 
the  demands  of  travel  caused  his  removal  to  the  middle 
of  the  southeastern  section  of  that  public  breathing  place. 
Had  some  visitor  returned  to  Cleveland,  after  a  long  ab- 
sence, in  the  year  1894,  and  sought  the  familiar  figure,  he 
would  have  been  directed  by  the  nearest  policeman  to 
seek  it  in  an  attractive  corner  of  Wade  Park,  while  a  mass- 
ive structure  in  stone  and  bronze  would  have  been  seen 
standing  proudly  upon  the  spot  that  had  been  the  Com- 
modore's most  recent  rCvSting  place. 

This  is  the  Cuyahoga  County  Soldiers'  and  Sailors' 
Monument,  erected  by  a  patriotic  people,  in  memory  of 
those  who  fought  in  defense  of  the  Union.  It  was  dedi- 
cated, with  impressive  ceremonies,  on  the  4th  of  July, 
1894. 

There  was  little  difference  of  opinion  among  the  people 
of  Cleveland  as  to  the  erection  of  this  memorial,  but  there 
was  opposition  to  its  location  upon  the  Public  Square, 
and  much  discussion  was  had,  accompanied  by  no  small 
measure  of  litigation,  before  a. decision  was  reached.  It 
is  possible,  of  course,  in  this  connection,  to  give  only  the 
salient  points  of  record  regarding  this  great  and  patriotic 
memorial.'" 

The  idea  of  erecting  some  commemorative  monument, 
in  honor  of  the  soldiers  and  sailors  who  represented  Cuy- 
ahoga County  in  the  great  contest  for  the  Union,  was  sug- 
gested by  an  ex-soldier,  William  J.  Gleason,  at  a  meeting 
of  Camp  Barnett  Soldiers'   and  Sailors'   Society,   on  the 

*'  The  story  is  told,  in  all  its  details,  in  the  valuable  work  to  which  refer- 
ence has  heretofore  been  made.  This  is  the  ' '  History  of  the  Cuyahoga 
County  Soldiers'  and  Sailors'  Monument,"  by  William  J.  Gleason,  presi- 
dent of  the  Monument  Commission. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  4gs 

evening  of  October  22,  1879.  In  accordance  with  a  reso- 
lution introduced  by  liiiu,  a  committee  of  three  was  ap- 
pointed, to  take  the  matter  into  consideration.  The  sug- 
gestion was  so  approved  in  all  quarters,  that  early  in 
April,  1880,  a  law  was  passed  giving  the  commissioners 
of  Cuyahoga  County  authority  to  levy  a  tax  for  the  erec- 
tion of  "  a  monument  or  memorial  tablet,"  in  honor  of 
those  who  had  died  in  defense  of  their  country.  As  time 
went  on,  and  the  mone}"  f or  the  purpose  began  to  accumu- 
late in  the  county  treasur3%  the  question  of  a  site  came 
up.  The  monument  committee  favored  the  southeast 
section  of  the  Public  Square.  Levi  T.  vScofield  was  re- 
quested to  submit  a  plan  for  a  monument.  In  May,  1887, 
application  was  made  to  the  city  park  commissioners  for 
permission  to  occupy  the  .'^pace  above  referred  to.  Such 
permission  was  withheld.  Steps  were  taken  by  the  monu- 
ment committee  toward  a  fulfillment  of  their  plan,  and  in 
April,  1888,  a  law  was  passed  by  the  General  Assembly, 
setting  aside  such  section  of  the  Public  Square  for  monu- 
ment purposes,  excluding  the  county  commissioners  from 
further  voice  in  the  matter,  and  creating  the  Cuyahoga 
County  vSoldiers'  and  Sailors'  Monument  Commission. 
Under  the  provisions  of  that  act,  Governor  J.  B.  Foraker 
appointed  the  commission  as  follows:  William  J.  Gleason, 
Edward  H.  Bohm,  Emory  W.  Force.  Levi  T.  Scofield, 
Levi  F.  Bauder,  James  Barnett,  Charles  C.  Dewstoe.  J. 
J.  Elwell,  Joseph  B.  Molyneaux,  James  Hayr,  R.  W. 
Walters,  and  M.  D.  Leggett. 

Plans  were  prepared  and  arrangements  forwarded  for 
practical  work,  when  efforts  were  made  by  the  park  com- 
missioners and  owners  of  certain  property  abutting  upon 
the  Public  Square  to  prevent  the  erection  of  the  monu- 
ment at  the  place  named.  The  aid  of  the  Cuyahoga 
Courts,  and  finally  of  the  State  Supreme  Court,  and  the 
United  States  Courts  was  invoked,  but  the  decisions  were 
in  favor  of  the  Monument  Commission.  Some  exciting 
scenes  were  enacted,  from  time  to  time,  and  in  various 
places,  in  which  ex-soldiers,  city  officials,  lawyers,  and  the 


4g6  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


public  <>-enerany  fif^nred,  with  picturesque,  if  not  always 
dignified,  effect.  -.'^ 

The  outcome  was  that  the  monument  was  begun,  and 
finished,  within  due  time,  and  stands  to-day  upon  the  site 
originally  chosen.  A  tall  granite  shaft  is  surmounted  by 
the  fiofure  of  Liberty.  Massive  stone  and  granite  walls 
rise  about  its  base.  "  The  eagle,  with  wings  extended," 
writes  Mr.  Gleason,^'*^  "  stands  guard  over  the  portal;  the 
realistic  scenes  of  the  war,  in  the  different  branches  of 
the  service,  reproduced  in  heroic  bronze  groups,  are  in 
place;  the  old  army  corps  badges,  gracefully  carved  in 
stone,  entwined  in  laurel  wreaths,  adorn  each  of  the  four 
sides  of  the  memorial  room;  the  Nation's  beautiful  em- 
blem of  liberty  and  justice,  the  glorious  Stars  and  Stripes, 
floats  majestically  in  the  breeze  from  handsome  flag- 
staffs  on  the  four  corners  of  the  structure  ;  while  between 
the  finely  constructed  walks  and  the  monument  are  beds 
of  lovely  flowers,  arranged  in  form  and  color  representing 
the  C(H-ps  badges  of  the  different  divisions  of  the  army 
and  the  badges  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  Loyal 
Legion,  Women's  Relief  Corps,  LTnion  Veterans"  LTnion, 
and  the  Sons  of  Veterans,  bordered  with  wreaths  of  im- 
mortelles and  forget-me-nots."  Within  the  structure 
are  commemorative  panels,  bronze  busts,  colored  marble 
walls,  stained  glass  windows,  the  names  of  Cuyahoga's 
soldiers  and  sailors  cut  in  marble,  a  mosaic  floor,  bright 
lights  —  a  temple  indeed,  fittingly  adorned  for  the  ex- 
pression of  that  patriotic  gratitude  that  called  it  into  exist- 
ence. 

The  dedication  occurred  on  Independence  Day,  1894. 
The  city  arrayed  itself  in  holiday  garb,  in  honor  of  the 
occasion.  The  day  was  ushered  in  by  the  booming  of 
cannon,  the  ringing  of  bells,  and  the  blowing  of  steam 
whistles.  A  Federal  salute  was  fired  at  sunrise.  A  yacht 
race,  and  a  grand  band  concert  on  the  Public  Square, 
occurred  in  the  morning.      Then  came  the  dedicatory  ex- 

'■'"  "  History  of  the  Cuyahoga  County  Soldiers'  and  Sailors'  Monument," 
William  J.  Gleason,  p.  346. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  4gy 

ercises.  William  McKinley,  Governor  of  Ohio,  the  pres- 
ident of  the  day,  delivered  an  address.  There  was  music 
by  a  great  chorus  from  the  public  schools.  Virgil  P. 
Kline  read  the  Declaration  of  Independence.  Hon  J.  B. 
Foraker  delivered  an  eloquent  oration.  There  was  a  na- 
tional salute  of  forty-four  guns,  a  grand  procession,  and 
general  illuminations  after  nightfall.  The  whole  city, 
and  much  of  the  country  roundabout,  seemed  to  have  sent 
all  the  people  thereof  as  witnesses  to  the  splendid  celebra- 
tion of  the  event ;  the  procession  was  one  of  the  greatest 
and  most  comprehensive  ever  seen  in  the  streets  of 
Cleveland ;  the  monument  was  declared  worthy  of  all 
this  honor,  and  the  strife  and  discussion  that  had  been 
of  the  past  were  forgotten  and  forever  buried,  in  the  pa- 
triotic achievements  of  the  present.''" 

There  are  two  excellent  methods  by  which  the  indus- 
trial and  commercial  development  of  a  great  city  can  be 
known  —  a  personal  inspection  of  its  business  and  manu- 
facturing centers,  and  an  examination  of  the  totals  to 
which  its  many  forms  of  enterprise  foot  up.  For  this 
latter  task,  which,  of  course,  is  the  only  one  here  open  to 
us,  we  have  access,  in  the  case  of  Cleveland,  to  the  cen- 
sus reports  of  1890,  and  to  a  valuable  report'''^  made  two 
years  afterwards  by  the  Cleveland  Board  of  Trade.  These 
show  where  the  city  stood  in  the  early  days  of  this  dec- 
ade, and  it  is  but  proper  to  state  that  Cleveland's  growth 

" '  ' '  The  entire  cost  of  the  memorial,  and  its  surroundings,  aggregates  in 
round  figures  $280,000.  Not  a  dollar  of  this  amount  has  passed  through 
the  hands  of  the  Commission, — all  moneys  being  collected  by  the  County 
Treasurer,  and  paid  out  by  him,  on  warrants  drawn  by  the  County  Audi- 
tor, when  ordered  so  to  do  in  writing  by  the  Monument  Executive  Commit- 
tee and  its  Secretar3\" — "  Historj^  of  the  Cuyahoga  County  Soldiers'  and 
Sailors'   Monument,"  by  William  J.  Gleason,  p.  477. 

'''  For  much  of  the  information  contained  in  the  above,  the  writer  is  under 
obligation  to  one  of  the  most  thorough  and  admirable  statistical  hand- 
books, it  has  ever  been  his  privilege  to  examine.  This  is  the:  "Annual 
Report  of  the  Trade  and  Commerce  of  Cleveland:  Prepared  under  the 
direction  of  the  Cleveland  Board  of  Trade."  Issued  December  i,  1892. 
Publication  committee,  David  A.  Dangler,  John  C.  Covert,  Wilson  M.  Day: 
Statistician,  John  M.  r^Iulroone3\ 


498  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

has  been  as  sure  and  vSteady  since  then,  as  it  was  in  that 
remarkably  expansive  period  extending  from  1880  to 
1890.69 

What  Cleveland  really  accomplished,  between  1880  and 
1890,  was  so  aptly  and  forcibly  described  bv  Robert  P. 
Porter,  superintendent  of  the  census  of  1890,  in  an  address 
before  the  Cleveland  Board  of  Industry  and  Improvement 
in  April,  1892,  that  I  cannot  forego  the  temptation  to 
quote  his  remarks  in  some  detail.  Said  he:  "In  ten 
years,  you  have  doubled  the  number  and  value  of  the 
product  of  your  establishments.  You  have  nearly  trebled 
the  capital  invested  in  manufactures,  multiplied  the  total 
number  emplo3''ed  two  and  a  half  times,  and  you  are  pav- 
ing out,  annuall3%  in  wages,  more  than  three  times  as  much 
as  you  did  in  1880.  We  have  carefully  filed  away,  in 
Washington,  a  schedule  sworn  to  by  the  special  agent  as 
a  true  and  faithful  statement  of  the  condition  of  everv 
one  of  the  2,300  manufacturing  establishments  of  this 
city.  ...  I  doubt  whether  a  more  interestinof  coin- 
parison  of  your  manufacturing  industry  is  possible  than 
that  of  the  difference  in  cost  of  material  and  value  of  prod- 
uct, for  this  might  be  called  the  enhanced  value  due  to 
manufacture,  and  really  represents  what  the  industry  and 
capital  of  your  city  has  accomplished.  In  1880,  this  en- 
hanced value  amounted  to  $16,974,313,  while  in   1890  it 

"^  The  population  of  Cleveland,  as  giv^en  in  decades,  from   1830  to  1890, 
has  been  as  follows: 

1830,  United  States  Census 1,075 

1840,  "  "  "  6,071 

1850.  "  "  "  17,054 

i860,  "  "  "  43,838 

1S70,  "  "  "  92,825 

1880,  "  "  "  160.146 

1890,  "  "  "  261,353 

The  city  directory  computations,   since  that  date,   give  the   following 
totals : 

1892,  City  Directory 309,243 

1893,  '•  "  322,932 

1894,  "  "  344,595 

1895,  "  "  352,629 

iSq6,  "  "  368,895 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  4gg 

amounted  to  $40,745,701,  an  increase  of  about  150  per 
cent.  This  may  be  considered  as  a  gauge  of  your  indus- 
trial enterprise.  You  have,  in  fact,  nearly  trebled  your 
effective  product." 

Taking  the  census  of  1890,  and  the  Board  of  Trade  re- 
port of  1  892,  as  our  guides  for  this  inquiry  as  to  Cleveland's 
rank  as  a  commercial  center  in  the  beginning  of  the  pres- 
ent decade,  we  are  led  to  these  important  general  facts : 
Cleveland,  in  1890,  ranked  fourth™  among  the  cities  of 
the  great  lakes,  in  the  volume  of  receipts  and  shipments 
of  lake  freight,  the  aggregate  being  4,371,269  net  tons. 
Of  these,  3,088,512  tons  were  coal  and  irc^n  ore.  The 
total  foreign  and  coastwise  commerce  of  the  customs  dis- 
trict of  Cuyahoga  was  9,929,378  net  tons.  The  magnitude 
of  the  city's  iron  ore  traffic  is  best  shown  by  a  quotation 
from  the  report  above  referred  to:  "An  investment  of 
$175 '394^985  seems  almost  beyond  the  proportions  of  any 
one  closely  connected  line  of  commerce,  but  such  are  the 
figures  representing  the  capital  involved,  on  Julv  i,  1892, 
in  mining  and  transporting,  by  lake  and  rail,  the  output  of 
the  Lake  Superior  iron  mining  divStrict.  The  sale  and 
movement  of  every  ton  of  ore  from  this  district  is  con- 
--^ucted  by  sales  agents  in  Cleveland,  who  are  also  owners 
of  the  mines  to  a  large  extent.  Here  the  docks  at  all 
^!^ake  Erie  ports,  excepting  Buffalo  and  Erie,  are  con- 
trolled, and  here  is  owned  fully  80  per  cent,  of  the  vessel 
property  engaged  in  this  commerce,  which  forms  the 
largest  single  item  in  the  lake  traffic.  This  country  con- 
sumed, in  1890,  17,500,000  gross  tons  of  iron  ore.  Of 
this  amount,  1,246,830  tons  were  imported,  and  16,253,170 
tons  were  of  home  production.  Lake  Superior  mines  pro- 
duced, in  the  same  year,  9,003,701  gross  tons,  or  more 
^han  one-half  the  raw  material,  for  a  nation  that  leads  the 
world  in  the  output  of  pig  iron,  Bessemer  steel  and  steel 

■'"  Chicago  and  Buffalo  outranked  Cleveland,  'as  they  'were  the  termi- 
nals of  the  most  important  of  the  lake  shipping,  and  Escanaba,  because  of 
its  immense  shipments  of  ore, — the  movement  and  sale  of  which  Cleveland 
largely  controlled. 


500  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

rails.  This  statement  is  in  itself  enotiirh  to  show  the  re- 
lation  the  city  bears  to  the  iron  industry,  whose  prosperi- 
ty is  most  often  used  to  serve  as  a  measure  of  the  general 
business  prosperity  of  the  country." 

Cleveland  shipped,  by  lake,  to  Milwaukee,  Chicago, 
Duluth  and  other  upper  lake  ports,  1,016,487  tons  of  bitu- 
minous coal  in  1891,  and  922,536  in  1890.  The  main 
points  concerning  her  railway  traffic  were  as  follows: 
The  total  outward  movement  of  freis^ht  over  the  eleven 
lines  of  railway  having  direct  entrance  into  the  city  ag- 
gregated 5,535,332  net  tons  in  1891.  These  railroads 
operated  5,237  miles  of  working  line  in  1890,  carried  37,- 
829,71 1  tons  of  freight;  gross  receipts  ran  up  to  $56,087,- 
349;  operating  expenses,  $47,467,744;  made  use  of  the 
services  of  37,684  employes.  The  aggregate  receipts  and 
shipments  b}-  canal  in  1891  were  less  than  60,000  net 
tons,  made  up  mainly  of  a  few  lines  of  coarse  freight. 

In  the  earlier  portions  of  this  work,  when  recording  the 
building  of  those  little  vessels  hauled  by  oxen  down  to 
the  place  of  landing,  there  was  small  indication  that,  be- 
fore the  end  of  the  century,  Cleveland  would  be  able  to 
claim  the  honor  of  being  the  largest  shipbuilding  point 
in  the  United  States.  Yet  such  she  had  come  to  be,  at  a 
date  as  early  as  that  now  under  consideration. 

The  census  report  for  the  years  1889-90  —  which  are 
taken^together  for  this  calculation  —  furnishes  the  follow- 
ing comparison  between  Cleveland  and  the  two  next 
largest  shipbuilding  points : 

Cleveland,  O.,  in  gross  tons, 71,322 

Philadelphia,  Pa.,  in  gross  tons, 53, 811 

Bath,  Me.,  in  gross  tons, 49,830 

In  the  five  years  ending  with  1890,  Cleveland  built  a 
total  of  100  vessels  of  all  kinds,  with  a  gross  tonnage  of 
125,265. 

Eight  Cleveland  shipbuilding  and  dry  dock  establish- 
ments made  a  return  of  capital  to  the  census  bureau  of 
$2,587,775;  employed  2,083  hands;  paid  out  $1,188,662 
for  wages;  $1,442,045  for  material,  and  $73,921    for  mis- 


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THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  ^oi 

cellaneous  expenses.  Their  products  reached  a  combined 
value  of  $3,091,300.  Four  dry  docks  alone  represented 
an  investment  of  $450,000.  On  July  i,  1892,  there  were 
owned  in  Cleveland  forty  steel  vessels,  all  of  which,  with 
one  exception,  were  steamers,  and  having  a  net  registered 
tonnage  of  69,317  tons,  and  an  insurance  valuation  of 
$7,119,000;  all  but  five  of  them  having,  been  built  in 
Cleveland.  It  was  further  computed  that,  in  1892,  the 
actual  value,  at  a  low  estimate,  of  the  289  vessels  owned 
in  Cleveland,  was  $17,000,000.'^^ 

In  general  manufacturing,  the  census  report  showed 
that,  in  heavy  forgings,  wire  nails,  nuts  and  bolts,  car- 
riage and  wagon  hardware,  vapor  stoves,  sewing  ma- 
chines, steel-tired  car  wheels  and  heavy  street  railway 
machinery,  Cleveland  led  all  the  cities  of  the  country. 
"Here  are  located,"  vSays  the  Board  of  Trade  report,  "the 
greatest  shoddy  mills  in  i\nierica ;  a  plant  for  the  manu- 
facture of  sewing  machine  wood-work  that  has  no  equal 
in  the  world;  a  steel  bridge  works,  that  is  represented  in 
massive  structures  spanning  rivers  and  valleys  over  the 
entire  continent,  and  an  electric  light  carbon  works,  hav- 
ing a  capacity  of  ten  million  carbons  annually,  with  a 
market  for  its  product  extending  to  Mexico,  South  Amer- 
ica, China,  and  Japan." 

"  By  the  courtesy  of  the  United  States  Commissioner  of  Navigation,  I 
am  enabled  to  bring  these  figures  up  to  June  30,  1895,  and  present  the 
following  significant  totals  from  his  report,  as  to  the  shipbuilding  and 
shipowning  record  of  Cuyahoga  County: 

Number  of  vessels  enrolled 257 

Tonnage  of  vessels  enrolled 236,843.50 

Number  and  gross  tonnage  of  sailing  vessels,  steam  vessels,  etc  : 

Sailing  vessels 75 

Sailing  vessels — Tonnage 50,407.49 

Steam  vessels 174 

Steain  vessels — Tonnage 182,472.59 

Barges 8 

Barges — Tonnage 3,963.32 

Class,  number,  and  gross  tonnage  of  vessels  built : 

Steam  vessels 4 

Steam  vessels — Tonnage 12,448.20  ' 


S02  -p^^  HISTORY  Oh    CLEVELAND. 


The  annual  capacity  of  the  Cleveland  blast  furnaces  and 
iron  and  steel  mills  was  reported,  in  net  tons,  as  follows: 
Pig  iron,  275,000;  Bessemer  and  open-hearth  steel  blooms, 
billets  and  slabs,  545,000;  rails,  100,000;  wire  rods,  2'6'^,- 
000  ;  merchant  bars  and  shapes,  108,500;  plates,  axles, 
iron  and  steel  forufings,  etc.,  210,000.  Establishments  to 
the  number  of  125,  including  blast  furnaces,  iron  and 
steel  mills,  nut  and  bolt  manufactories,  foundries,  ma- 
chine shops,  etc.,  turned  out  in  1890,  a  product  valued  at 
$47,364,764,  and  employed  hands  to  the  number  of  17.465. 
Six  bis:  establishments  engaged  exclusivelv  in  the  nut 
and  bolt  industry  turned  out  goods  to  the  value  of  $2,- 
750,000  annually.  Five  car- wheel  works  had  an  annual 
capacity  of  335,200  wheels.  The  city  was  headquarters 
of  the  malleable  iron  industry  of  the  country.  A  half 
dozen  establishments  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  steel 
hollow  ware  and  general  hardware.  The  annual  value 
of  carriage,  wagon  and  saddlery  hardware  was  $4,750,000. 
Bridge  building  to  the  value  of  §2,000,000  a  year  was  cred- 
ited to  one  establi.shment.  The  amount  of  capital  in- 
vested in  foundries  and  machine  shops  was  placed  at 
$7,997,233,  employing  8,155  hands,  with  a  product  valued 
at  $13,432,334.  The  city  led  the  world  in  the  manufac- 
ture of  vapor  stoves.  vSewing  machines  to  the  number  of 
150,000  were  manufactured  each  year.  The  manufac- 
tures in  lumber,  mill  products  from  logs,  lumber  planed, 
and  sash,  doors  and  blinds,  were  valued  at  $2,219,697. 
Cleveland's  product  in  flour  in  1891  was  675,000  barrels, 
valued  at  $2,600,000.  In  printing  and  publishing,  93 
establishments,  capitalized  at  $2,527,435,  did  a  business 
of  $3, 147,426.  In  1890,  Cleveland  possessed  2  i  slaughter- 
ing and  meat-packing  houses,  capitalized  at  $810,957,  and 
having  a  product  valued  at  $8,673,966.  In  wool  shoddies 
and  blankets,  the  annual  output  reached  $2,225,000.  In 
wearing  apparel,  the  value  was  $3,972,392.  Business  in 
boots  and  shoes  was  done  to  the  value  of  $2,800,000.  Pe- 
troleum products,  outside  of  the  Standard  Oil  Company's, 
$4,000,000.     Paints,   $2,008,986.      Drugs  and  chemicals. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  303 

$944,737.  Lake  fisheries,  from  $250,000  to  $300,000. 
The  aggregate  annual  sales,  as  given  in  the  Board  of 
Trade  Report  (  1 892  )  on  the  leading  wholesale  mercantile 
lines,  may  he  summarized  as  follows : 

Dry  goods $  9,000,000 

Groceries  .       9,000,000 

Produce,  through  commission  merchants 4,750,000 

Hardware      4,000,000 

Merchant  iron  and  steel  out  of  store 3,250,000 

Boots,  shoes  and  rubbers 2,800,000 

Rubber  goods,  belting,  hose,  rubber  garments,  etc.  2,300,000 

Cloaks,  from  mantifacturers 2,250,000 

Clothing,  made  up 2,000,000 

Millinery  and  straw  goods 2,000,000 

Books  and  stationery 2,000,000 

Drugs  and  druggists'  sundries 2,000,000 

Teas,    coffees   and   spices    (exchisive   of   sales  by 

wholesale  grocers) 1,900,000 

Crockery 900,00 

Furniture 500,000 

Toys  and  notions 350,000 


Total $49,000,00 

Turning  to  the  banks, '~  we  find  the  following  signifi- 
cant figures,  on  July  i,  1892: 

No.   Paid  ill  capital.    Surplus. 

National  Banks 11        $9,050,000        $2,233,587 

Savings  Banks 21  3,432,100  3-473. 59° 

State  Banking  Companies  ...    2  550,000  37.165 

Savings  &  Loan  Associations    .  16  2,350,002  i5,94i 


Total 50      $15,382,102        $5,760,283 

In  the  above,  the  Society  for  Savings  is  not  enumerated. 
Its  deposits  then  amounted  to  $21,539,844. 

■''-' "Notwithstanding  the  clean  history  of  Cleveland's  banking  business, 
under  State  and  National  laws,  for  full  three-quarters  of  a  century  past  — 
its  freedom  from  failures  or  serious  disturbances  of  any  kind  —  there  is 
abundant  evidence  of  the  liberal  policy  of  the  directors  of  these  institu- 
tions, in  the  substantial  growth  of  manufacturing  and  commercial  inter- 
ests. No  speculative  influences  go  to  swell  the  volume  of  banking  busi- 
ness; neither  do  transactions  of  a  speculative  nature  figure  in  Cleveland's 
weekly  bank  clearings,  as  published  throughout  the  country,  in  compari- 
son with  the  clearing-house  statements  from  other  cities." — "Board  of 
Trade  Report,"  1892,  p.  129. 


J'¥ 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


Referring  to  that  conservative  business  barometer,  the 
real  estate  and  building  business,  we  find  by  examination 
of  the  reports  made  by  the  city  inspector  of  buildings 
that  in  the  three  years  and  seven  months  ending  December 
3,  1891,  there  were  erected  in  Cleveland  9,425  new  build- 
ings, and  4,748  additions  were  made  to  those  then  stand- 
ing.     The  total  estimated  cost  of  these  improveinents  was 


PERRY-l'AYXF,    HUII.DINi;. 


$18,141,932.  The  real  estate  transfers  and  leases  for  the 
ten  years  ending  December  31,  1891,  numbered  68,683, 
involving  a  money  consideration  to  the  great  amount  of 
$258,244,403,  or  an  average  of  over  twenty-five  million 
dollars  each  year.'''^ 

■"^  "  Wonderful  instances  of  the  increasing  value  of  property,  in  the  busi- 
ness section  of  the  city,  are  found  in  the  daily  transactions.  The  value  of 
realty,  on  Superior  street,  ranges  from  $2,500  to  $4,000  per  foot  front,  and 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  joj- 

A  reference  to  the  building-  statistics,  as  shown  in  the 
census  of  1890,'^  will  furnish  the  following  interesting 
figures:  Dwellings  in  Cleveland,  January  i,  1891,  38,463; 
estimated  value,  $42,746,807.  Barns,  6,311;  estimated 
value,  $1,855,810.  Stores,  3,034;  estimated  value,  $15,- 
912,175.  Mills  and  shops,  1,291  ;  estimated  value,  $5,238, - 
565.  Miscellaneous,  740;  estimated  value,  $14,025,656. 
Totals,  49^839;  $79,779,013. 

The  aSvSessed  value  of  Cleveland  real  estate,  in  1891,  was 
$89,512,700.  Of  personal  property,  $28,320,500.  The 
real  valuation  was  $500,000,000.  Exempt  from  taxation, 
$18,000,000.  The  debt  of  the  city  was  $8,735,291.73. 
The  assets  and  sinking  fund,  $16,534,353.84.  The  total 
cost  of  construction  of  the  water  works  department,  to 
January  i,  1892,  was  $6,280,656. 17.  Water  works  bonds 
then  outstanding  amounted  to  $1,775,000.  The  net  earn- 
ings of  the  department,  in  1891,  were  $419,874.43.  The 
total  area  of  the  city  was  24.48  square  miles.  Number  of 
streets,  2,303.  Miles  of  streets,  470.  Main  and  branch 
sewers,  179  miles.  Ten  swing  or  draw  bridges,  10  rail- 
road swing  or  draw  bridges,  40  stationary  bridges.  Lake 
frontage,  5  miles;  river  frontage,  16  miles.  Street  rail- 
ways, 174  miles.  The  internal  revenue  collections  in  the 
eighteenth  district  of  Ohio  (Cleveland),  for  the  year  end- 
ing June  30,  1892,  were  as  follows:  Fermented  liquors, 
$530,848.13;  distilled  spirits,  $39,604.50;  cigars  and  cigar- 
ettes, $275,454.86;  snuff,  $30.96;  tobacco,  $22,694.34; 
special  tax,  $178,276.12  ;  oleomargarine,  $36,025.28. 
Total,  $1,086,332.86.  The  religious  growth  of  the  city 
was  represented  by  more  than  two  hundred  church  socie- 

the  whole  street,  from  Water  street  to  the  Public  Square,  could  be  disposed 
of  at  such  figures,  very  readily,  if  the  owners  could  be  prevailed  upon  to 
sell.  ...  It  is  estimated  that  no  less  than  sixty  large  allotments 
have  been  laid  out,  in  the  suburban  districts,  within  the  past  three 
years,  and  that  within  the  same  period,  homes  to  the  number  of  about 
6,000  have  been  provided,  after  this  system  alone." — "Board  of  Trade 
Report,"  1S92,  p.  136. 

''■'  The  number  of  structures  above  given  was  arrived  at  by  actual  count 
of  the  buildings,  reported  by  the  Ward  assessors. 


So6 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


ties.      Tts  literarv  status  was  indicated  by  i  1 2  newspapers, 
magazines  and  other  periodicals. 

Another  ilhistration  of  the  size  to  which  Cleveland  has 
grown,  in  this  year  of  her  Centennial,  is  shown  in  the 
statistics  of  her  Post-office.  Besides  the  now  antiquated 
and  inadequate  main  Post-office,  fronting  on  the  Public 
Square,  the  city  has  four  large  carrier  stations,  known  as 


CLE\' ELAND    I'l  )S  T-OFI-ICE. 

A,  B,  C  and  D;  seven  sub-stations,  known  as  i,  2,  3,  4, 
5,  6  and  7,  and  twenty-nine  stamp  agencies  scattered 
throughout  the  city.  As  an  indication  of  the  recent  ex- 
tensive growth  of  the  city's  postal  business,  I  give  the 
■comparative  receipts  found  in  the  following: 

For  the  year  ending  June  30,  1S90 $461,854.63 

For  the  year  ending  June  30,  1895 629,711.61 

For  the  year  ending  September  30,  1895 652,627.13 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  ^07 

For  the  following  detailed  statistics,  the  writer  is  indebted 
to  John  C.  Hutchins,  the  present  postmaster:"'''  The  net 
receipts  for  the  year  ending  June  30,  1895,  of  the  Cleve- 
land office, .were  $1,392.41,  greater  than  the  net  receipts 
of  all  the  presidential  post-ofhces  of  the  States  of  Louis- 
iana, South  Carolina  and  Nevada,  and  $61,495.07  greater 
than  those  of  the  State  of  Maine.  For  the  same  year, 
the  ninth  division  railway  mail  service  handled  104,- 
049,986  pieces.  The  city  division  of  this  office  handled 
51,622,076  pieces.  Cleveland  is  the  headquarters  of  the 
above-named  railway  service,  which  makes  the  office  a 
receptacle  for  all  unmailable  and  illegible  inatter  reach- 
ing such  division.  This  matter  is  rated  up,  and  addresses 
notified,  or,  if  insufficiently  addressed,  the  same  is  corrected 
and  sent  forward,  when  possible,  or  sent  to  the  dead  letter 
office  for  final  disposition.  The  greater  part  of  such  inail 
originates  in  foreign  countries.  For  the  year  ending 
June  30,  1895,  nearly  one  million  pieces  of  this  character 
were  handled. 

About  560  postal  employes  receive  their  pay  through 
the  Cleveland  office.  It  has  at  present  135  clerks,  152 
carriers,  25  sub-carriers  and  248  railway  postal  clerks, 
and  does  a  money  order  business  of  from  three  to  four 
million  dollars  annually,  and  issues  both  domestic  and 
international  orders. 

Cleveland  has  never  been  in  undue  haste  to  add  to  her 
possessions  by  annexation.  Such  adjacent  territory  as 
has  been  added  to  her  borders,  has  come  through  manifest 
destiny,  and  in  response  to  the  reasonable  demands  of  the 
people  most  directly  interested.  It  was  inevitable  that, 
in  the  course  of  time,  the  thriving  villages  just  to  the 
westward  should  be  absorbed  into  the  great  city,  even  as 

"''^  The  postmasters  of  Cleveland,  from  the  establishment  of  the  office  in 
1805  to  1896,  have  been  as  follows:  Elisha  Norton,  John  Walworth,  Ashbel 
W.  Walworth,  Daniel  Kelley,  Irad  Kelley,  Daniel  Worley,  Aaron  Barker, 
Benjamin  Andrews,  Timothy  P.  Spencer,  Daniel  M.  Haskell,  J-  W.  Gray, 
Benjamin  Harrington,  Edwin  Cowles,  George  A.  Benedict,  John  W.  Allen, 
N.  B.  Sherwin,  Thomas  Jones,  Jr.,  William  W.  Armstrong,  A.  T.  Ander- 
son, John  C.  Hutchins. 


joS  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

were  East  Cleveland  and  Newburg.  It  was,  therefore,  no 
surprise  when  West  Cleveland  and  Brooklyn  came  into  the 
municipal  fold.  West  Cleveland  was  annexed  on  March  5, 
1894,  and  Brooklyn  Village  on  April  30,  1894.  The  first 
named  added  to  the  city  about  1,500  acres  and  6,000  in- 
habitants; Brooklyn,  1,700  acres  of  land  and  5,000  inhab- 
itants. Bv  the  terms  of  annexation,  Cleveland  assumed 
the  payment  of  bonds,  as  follows:  West  Cleveland,  S95,- 
349;  Brooklyn  Village,  $143,674.72.  The  city,  however, 
received  the  following  amounts  in  cash  from  the  treasur- 
ers of  the  two  towns:  West  Cleveland,  $6,172.17;  Brook- 
lyn Village,  $33,000.92.  It  also  received  permanent  im- 
provements, valued    as  follows: 

Brooklyn  West 

I  'ill age.  Cleveland. 

Sewers $51,058.85  $353-So 

Pavements 75.6S8.57  38,872.74 

Water  pipe 73,736.85  63,326.70 

Sidewalks 1,138.07  24,286.19 

Curbing  and  grading 2,706.54  28,338.89 

Town  Hall 3,000.00 

$204,328.88   $158,178.32 

Up  to  November  16,  1895,  Cleveland  had  been  singu- 
larly free  froin  serious  accidents  on  its  street  railroads, 
although  its  river  and  its  viaducts,  with  their  swing-bridges, 
were  constant  menaces.  On  that  date,  however,  in  an 
early  hour  of  the  evening,  a  car  plunged  through  the  open 
draw  of  the  Central  Viaduct,  into  the  Cuyahoga  River,  100 
feet  below.  Seventeen  deaths  resulted,  all  from  drown- 
ing, for  there  were  no  injuries  on  the  bodies  when  they 
were  recovered.  The  car  was  one  on  the  Cedar  and  Jen- 
nings avenue  line  of  the  "Big  Consolidated"  system,  and 
it  was  going  to  the  South  Side.  The  accident  occurred  at 
the  north  end  of  the  draw.  Its  cause  is  uncertain,  for 
the  testimony  before  the  coroner  was  at  direct  odds  on  the 
vital  point.  The  bridge-tender  swore  that  the  bridge 
had  been  opened  for  a  tug  boat,  that  the  warning  red 
lights  were  displayed,  and  that  the  gates  were  closed  and 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  sog 

locked.  The  motorman.  who  jumped  and  was  saved  just 
as  his  car  went  over  the  brink,  swore  that  the  gates  were 
open,  and  there  were  no  lights.  The  conductor,  who 
gave  the  signal  to  start  after  the  car  had  stopped  at  the 
safety  switch,  was  one  of  the  drowned,  and  so  his  testi- 
mony, which  would  have  been  final,  was  lost.  The  coro- 
ner's verdict  Avas  non-committal  as  to  the  placing  of  the 
responsibility.  Augustus  Rogers,  the  motorman,  who 
was  held  for  manslaughter,  was  discharged.  Only  one 
passenger  was  saved.  He  went  down  with  the  car,  but 
struggled  out  to  the  surface  of  the  Avater  and  clung  to  a 
spile  till  rescued. 

After  a  number  of  years  of  agitation,  by  press  and  pub- 
lic, it  seems  within  the  range  of  easy  probability  that 
Cleveland  will  have  a  new  government  building.  Hon. 
Theodore  E.  Burton,  congressman  from  this  district,"^ 
drafted  a  bill  asking  for  an  appropriation  of  $2,500,000 
for  this  purpose,  and  it  has  already  received  the  prelimi- 
nary approval  of  the  committees,  and  it  will  undoubtedly 
be  passed  without  dilficulty.  The  new  building  will,  prob- 
ably, occupy  the  site  of  the  present  one,  the  Case  Library 
property,  and  also  the  street  between  them. 

Cleveland  will  have  a  noble  art  gallery,  and  a  helpful 
art  school,  so  soon  as  certain  legal  complications,  attend- 
ing the  consolidation  of  a  number  of  bequests  for  this 
purpose,  are  disposed  of.  The  first  citizen  whose  gener- 
osity took  this  turn  was  H.  B.  Hurlbut.  By  his  will,  his 
immense  estate,  and  valuable  art  collection,  were  given  to 
his  wife  for  life.  At  her  death,  they  were  to  be  used  to 
found  an  art  gallery,  after  certain  legacies  were  paid. 
Henry  C.  Ranney,  James  D.  Cleveland,  and  William  E. 
Miller  are  the  trustees  of  this  fund.      Horace  Kelley,  who 

'-  It  may  be  permitted,  at  this  point,  to  name  the  Clevelanders  who  have 
represented  the  city  in  Congress,  with  the  dates  of  service,  as  follows: 
John  W.  Allen,  1837-41;  Sherlock  J.  Andrews,  1S41-43;  Edward  Wade, 
1853-61;  Albert  G.  Riddle,  1861-63;  Rufus  P.  Spaulding,  1863-69;  Richard 
C.  Parsons,  1873-75;  Henry  B.  Payne,  1875-77;  Amos  Townsend,  1877-83; 
Martin  A.  Foran,  1883-89;  Theodore  E.  Burton,  1889-91;  Tom  L.  Johnson, 
1891-95;  Theodore  E.  Burton,  1895-97. 


5IO 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


died  in  December,  1890,  left  valuable  real  estate,  encum- 
bered only  by  an  allowance  to  his  widow,  for  the  purpose 
of  establishing  an  art  gallery,  and  the  founding  of  an  art 
school.  The  trustees  named  are  James  M.  Jones,  Henry 
C.  Ranney  and  Alfred  vS.  Kelley.  John  Huntington,  as 
before  stated,  gave  a  certain  per  cent,  of  the  income  from 
his  estate,  during  the  life-time  of  his  children,  and  at  their 
death  a  definite  amount  of  property,  for  an  art  gallery, 
and  an  evening  polytechnic  school.  Henry  C.  Ranney, 
Edwin  R.  Perkins,  John  V.  Painter,  vS.  E.  Williamson, 
Charles  W.  Bingham,  John  H.  Lowman,  James  D.  Cleve- 
land. George  H.  Worthington,  and  Mariette  Leek  Hunting- 
ton, are  the  trustees.  On 
December  23,  1892,  J.  H. 
Wade,  who  wished  to  see 
the  art  gallery  project  take 


tangible    form, 


gave 


four 


MAYOR    ROBERT    KI.EE. 


acres  in  Wade  Park,  for  the 
proposed  building.  As  the 
'i\j  purposes  of  all  these  be- 
quests are  the  same,  and 
the  trustees  of  a  single  mind, 
in  their  desires  to  co-oper- 
ate, it  only  needs  the  prop- 
er legal  measures  to  amal- 
gamate these  funds,  and 
then  the  gallery,  and  the  schools,  will  immediately  follow. 
The  newspapers  of  Cleveland  did  not  wait  for  the  dawn 
of  the  city's  centennial  year  to  show  that  they  were  keep- 
ing step  with  the  music  of  progress,  nor  for  the  advent  of 
Greater  Cleveland,  in  which  to  give  evidence  that  they 
were  abreast  with  modern  methods.  Perhaps  it  would  be 
just  to  say,  that  no  one  agency  has  done  as  much  for  the 
encouragement  of  enterprise,  and  the  advertisement  of 
Cleveland's  claims  before  the  world  at  large,  as  her  local 
press. 

In  the  pages  preceding,  mention  was  made  of  the  early 
ventures  in  the  newspaper  line.     That  record  ended  in, 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  j// 

or  near,  1 840.  To  attempt  to  carry  it  forward,  in  a  com- 
pleteness of  detail,  through  the  half  century  and  more 
that  lies  between  that  date  and  this,  would  be  as  mourn- 
ful as  reading  the  inscriptions  in  a  cemetery,  and  about 
as  fruitful  of  results.  Like  all  cities  that  have  passed 
through  experiences  worthy  of  mention,  Cleveland  has 
seen  her  scores  and  scores  of  newspaper  ventures  spring 
up,  as  in  a  night,  and  die  with  the  same  ease  and  expedi- 
tion.'' There  are  few  things  more  easily  done  than  to 
start  a  newspaper;  there  are  few  things  more  difficult 
than  to  keep  it  going. 

The  founding  of  the  ' '  Cleaveland  Herald  ' '  has  already 
been  related,  at  some  length.  A  long,  useful,  and  honora- 
ble career  was  permitted  it,  between  its  humble  begin- 
ning, in  1 8 19,  and  its  partition  and  absorption,  in  1885. 

The  "  Herald  "  became  the  "  Herald  and  Gazette,"  in 
1837,  having  united  its  fortunes  with  the  "  Gazette,"  es- 
tablished by  Colonel  Whittlesey,  in  the  preceding  year. 
At  a  little  later  date,  the  ownership  passed  into  the  hands 
of  Josiah  A.  Harris.  In  1850,  he  sold  a  part  interest  to 
A.  W.  Fairbanks,  who  assumed  charge  of  the  publica- 
tion department,  and  added  a  job  printing  outfit.  In 
1853,  George  A.  Benedict  became  one  of  the  proprietors 
and  editors,  and,  near  the  close  of  the  Civil  War,  Mr.  Har- 
ris retired,  Mr.  Benedict  becoming  editor,  and  the  busi- 

"  A  mention  of  the  titles  of  some  of  these  earlier  ventures  may  be 
permitted:  "  Second  Adventist,"  "  Ohio  American,"  "  Declaration  of  In- 
dependence," "Weekly  Times,"  "  Reserve  Battery,"  "  Spirit  of  Freedom," 
"Temple  of  Honor,"  "Spirit  of  the  Lakes,"  "Family  Visitor,"  "  Cleve- 
land Commercial,"  "Harpoon,"  "Golden  Rule,"  "Forest  City,"  "True 
Democrat,"  "Annals  of  Science,"  "  Commercial  Gazette,"  "Germania," 
"Spiritual  Universe,"  ".Daily  Review,"  "Buckeye  Democrat,"  "Wool 
Growers'  Reporter,"  "Agitator,"  "Dodges'  Literary  Museum,"  "Van- 
guard," "Daily  Dispatch,"  "Gleaner,"  "  Brainard's  Musical  World," 
"Analyst,"  "  Literary  Museum,"  "  Temperance  Era,"  "Ohio  Spiritualist," 
"  Printing  Gazette,"  "Prohibition  Era,"  "New  Era,"  "Real  Estate  Re- 
corder," "Mechanics'  and  Blacksmiths'  Journal,"  "Coopers'  Journal," 
"Illustrated  Bazaar,"  "House  and  Garden,"  "Hygenia,"  "Pulpit," 
"Cross  and  Crown,"  "Columbia,"  "Our  Youth,"  "Cuyahoga  County 
Blade,"  "Household  Treasure,"  "Indicator,"  "Pictorial  World," 
"  Household  Gem,"  etc.,  etc. 


SI2  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

ness  being  carried  on  by  Fairbanks,  Benedict  &  Co.     The 
"  Herald,"  during  these  years,  had  become  strong,  pow- ' 
erful,  and  prosperous,  and  an  outspoken  organ  of  the  Re- 
publican party.     In  1876,  Mr.  Benedict  died,  and  his  in- 
terest was  purchased  by  his  partner. 

Toward  the  end  of  1877,  the  "  Herald  "  passed  into  the 
control  of  Richard  C.  Parsons  and  William  P.  •  Foo-2f. 
The  Herald  Publishing  Company  was  formed  a  little  time 
thereafter.  The  stock  was  held  by  various  parties.  Col. 
Parsons  and  Mr.  Fogg  resigned  the  management.  The 
old  newspaper  was  destined  to  pass  through  various  ex- 
periences, all  of  which  tended  to  financial  loss,  and,  in 
1885,  it  passed  out  of  existence.  It  Avas  divided  and  ab- 
sorbed by  its  two  rivals, ^ — ■  the  "  Plain  Dealer  "  taking  the 
plant,  and  the  "  Leader  "  the  name,  news  franchises  and 
subscription  lists. ^'"^ 

Next  in  age,  among  the  daily  newspapers  that  have 
been,  for  years,  identified  with  the  history  of  Cleveland, 
comes  the  "  Plain  Dealer."  In  1834,  the  ''Advertiser," 
established  as  a  Whig  organ,  passed  into  the  control  of 
Canfield  &  Spencer,  who  continued  its  publication,  as  a 
Democratic  weekly,  until  1836,  when  it  was  issued  as  a 
daily.  It  was  sold,  in  1841,  to  J.  W.  and  K.  N.  Gray, 
who  changed  its  name  to  the  "  Plain  Dealer."  It  con- 
tinued as  a  staunch  Democratic  organ,  while  extending 
its  facilities  and  reputation  as  a  news  gatherer.  Its  editor, 
J.  W.  Gray,  died  in  1862.  Four  years  later,  the  paper 
was  purchased  by  William  W.  Armstrong,  of  Tiffin,  Ohio, 
a  veteran  editor  and  publisher,  who  had  but  recently  re- 
tired from  office,  as  Secretary  of  State.  In  1877,  he  or- 
ganized the  Plain  Dealer  Publishing  Company,  of  which 

'■^  "More  than  sixt\'-live  years  ago,  the  '  Cleaveland  Herald '  first  saw  the 
light.  To-day,  after  a  longer  life  than  is  granted  to  most  newspapers,  it 
rests  from  its  labors.  .  .  In  closing  the  record  of  the  '  Herald,'  we  can 
justly  claim  it  to  have  been  a  clean,  and  honorable,  as  well  as  useful, 
record.  We  know  that,  in  passing  out  of  sight,  it  will  leave  behind  it  a 
good  name,  and  thousands  who  will  mourn  its  departure,  as  that  of  an  old, 
a  trusted,  and  valued  friend."— "  The  '  Herald's  '  Farewell,"  by  J.  H.  A. 
Bone,  in  the  final  issue,  March  15,  1885. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  s^S 

he  became  president  and  manager,  while  still  retaining 
his  position  as  editor.  The  paper  was  continued,  as  an 
evening  publication,  until  1885,  when  it  was  sold  to  L.  E. 
Holden  and  others,  who  also  secured  the  "  Herald  "  plant, 
as  before  mentioned,  and  began  the  issuing  of  a  morning 
and  Sunday  edition.  The  present  officers  of  the  company 
are:  President,  L.  E.  Holden;  Viee-Presideiit,  L.  Dean 
Holden ;  Treasurer,  R.  R.  Holden ;  Seeretary  and  General 
Manager,  Charles  E.  Kennedy.  Because  of  other  large 
and  diversified  interests,  L.  E.  Holden  did  not  give  the 
paper  much  attention,  until  1893.  Since  then,  he  has  been 
the  controlling  and  directing  force  of  the  editorial  columns 
of  the  ''  Plain  Dealer,"  and,  although  unable  to  fall  into 
routine  work,  contributes  the  leading  articles  upon  all 
subjects  of  moment.  The  general  manager  is  Charles  E. 
Kennedy,  who  served  an  apprenticeship  in  both  the  edi- 
torial and  business  departments  of  Cleveland  neWvSpapers. 
He  has  held  his  present  position  since  January  i,  1893. 
The  wonderful  growth  of  the  "Plain  Dealer,"  especially 
during  the  past  three  years,  warranted  a  larger  and  bet- 
ter newspaper  office,  and  in  the  spring  of  1896,  the  com- 
pany bought  the  large  building  facing  on  Superior,  Bond 
and  Rockwell  streets,  and  remodeled  it  into  a  modern 
newspaper  home  for  the  "Plain  Dealer,"  and  its  afternoon 
edition,  the  "  Evening  Post."  The  "  Plain  Dealer"  has 
of  late  taken  a  high  stand  in  the  newspaper  world,  and  is 
well  regarded  as  one  of  the  leading  and  most  influential 
of  the  Democratic  organs  of  the  West. 

The  ' '  Cleveland  Leader  ' '  has  for  years  been  closely 
identified  with  the  interests  of  the  City  of  Cleveland,  and 
with  those  of  the  Republican  party,  of  which  it  is  one  of 
the  leading  exponents.  It  has  been  known  under  its  pres- 
ent name  since  1854,  although  its  actual  beginning  as  a 
newspaper  must  be  sought  a  decade  earlier.  In  1844,  the 
"  Ohio  American"  was  established  in  the  City  of  Ohio,  by 
R.  B.  Dennis,  who  conducted  it  as  an  organ  of  the  old 
Liberty  party.  In  1845,  Edwin  Cowles  became  its  pub- 
lisher.    The    "True   Democrat,"   an    anti-slavery   Whig 


SH 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


organ,  was  established  at  Olmsted  Falls,  O.,  in  1846, 
and  was  moved  to  Cleveland  one  year  later.  In  1848,  the 
' '  True  Democrat ' '  and  the  ' '  Ohio  American  ' '  were  con- 
solidated, under  the  name  of  the  first-mentioned.  In  1852, 
Joseph  Medill  came  to  Cleveland  and  established  the 
"  Daily  Forest  City,"  and  in  1853  this  paper  and  the 
"  True  Democrat  "  were  consolidated  under  the  name  of 
the  ''Daily  Forest  City  Democrat."  Edwin  Cowles,  who 
was  then  engaged  in  the  printing  business,  became  one 
of  the  owners  of  the  newly-named  journal,  the  proprietors 
beinof  known  under  the  firm  name  of  Medill,  Cowles  & 
Co.     Mr.  Cowles  took  charge  of  the  business  department, 

the   editors  being   Mr.  Medill 
and  John  C.  Vaughan. 

In  March,  1854,  the  long 
name  with  which  the  paper 
had  been  burdened  gave  way, 
and  the  "Cleveland  Leader" 
took  its  place  among  the  jour- 
nals of  Ohio.  The  entire  prop- 
erty passed,  by  purchase,  into 
the  hands  of  ]Mr.  Cowles"*^  in 
1855.  In  i860,  he  took  per- 
sonal charge  of  the  editorial 
departinent,  where  he  re- 
in   i860,  the  Cleveland  Leader 


EDWIN    COWLES. 


mained  until  his  death. 

'^  Edwin  Cowles  was  born  in  Austinburg,  Ashtabula  County,  O.,  on 
September  ig,  1825.  He  learned  the  printer's  trade,  in  Cleveland,  and, 
at  the  age  of  eighteen,  engaged  in  business  for  himself,  as  the  junior  mem- 
ber of  the  firm  of  Smead  &  Cowles.  His  connection  with  the  newspaper 
business  has  been  above  related.  He  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Re- 
publican party,  and  was  boldly  outspoken,  m  defence  and  support  of  its 
principles,  all  through  his  life.  As  an  editor,  he  was  utterly  without  fear, 
and  adhered  to  that  which  he  believed  to  be  the  right,  with  a  tenacity  that 
made  him  a  power,  in  any  cause  to  which  he  gave  his  support.  He  opposed 
slavery,  and  supported  the  vigorous  prosecution  of  the  war,  with  all  the 
power  that  lay  within  him.  He  was  appointed  postmaster  of  Cleveland,  in 
1 86 1,  and  held  that  otfice  for  five  ^^ears.  He  was  a  delegate  to  the  Repub- 
lican National  Conventions  of  1S76  and  of  1884,  and,  in  1877,  was  appointed 
honorary  commissioner  to  the  Pans  Exposition.  He  died  on  March  4, 
i8go,  after  a  life  of  great  industry  and  excejational  usefulness. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  s'5 

Printing  Company  was  formed,  Mr.  Cowles  holding  the 
majority  of  the  stock.  In  1869,  the  "  Evening  News" 
was  added,  as  an  afternoon  edition  of  the  "Leader," 
and  at  a  later  date,  as  before  mentioned,  the  name 
and  good-will  of  the  "Herald"  were  obtained  by  pur- 
chase, and  the  evening  paper  became  the  "  News  and 
Herald." 

The  "Leader,"  from  the  first,  has  been  an  earnest  and 
aggressive  supporter  of  the  Republican  party,  and  was 
long  since  recognized  as  the  chief  exponent  of  the  party 
in  this  section  of  the  country.  Its  management,  at 
present,  is  in  the  hands  of  the  following  officers: 
President  and  General  Manager,  E.  H.  Perdue;  J^iee- Pres- 
ident, Alfred  H.  Cowles;  Seeretary,  Charles  W.  Chase; 
Treasurer,  W.  F.  Bulkeley ;  Editor-in-Chief,  James  B. 
Morrow.^** 

On  November  2,  1878,  Ed.  W.  Scripps  and  John  S, 
Sweeney,  of  the  "  News,"  Detroit,  Mich.,  began  the 
publication  of  the  "Penny  Press"  in  Cleveland.  It  was 
a  one-cent,  seven-column  folio,  and  its  outfit  consisted 
largely  of  an  upright  Baxter  engine,  and  a  four-cylinder 
Hoe  press,  Mr.  Scripps  was  the  editor,  and  Mr.  Sweeney 
the  business  manager.     The  paper  succeeded,  was  repeat- 

^°  Dear  Sir: — You  ask  me  to  state  the  policy,  politics  and  principles  of 
the  "Cleveland  Leader."  The  policy  of  the  "Leader"  is  to  get  and  to 
print  the  news,  and  to  treat  all  men  and  all  classes  with  exact  justice. 
The  "  Leader"  is  a  Republican  newspaper — stalwart  in  its  politics,  but  fair 
enough,  I  am  sure,  to  expose  and  condemn  a  Republican  rascal,  and  to 
cheerfully  commend  an  honest  and  competent  Democrat,  when  one  is  dis- 
covered to  be  m  office.  The  "Leader"  believes  in  the  people — in  their 
morality,  and  m  their  patriotism.  It  stands  for  the  enforcement  of  the 
law,  the  preservation  of  order,  the  rights  of  all  men,  the  dignity  of  labor, 
the  protection  of  property,  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States,  and  the 
Stars  and  Stripes.  It  seeks  to  mduce  people  to  live  rightly,  and  to  think 
rightly.  It  believes  in  the  public  schools,  and  insists  that  no  public  money 
shall  be  appropriated  for  sectarian  purposes.  It  has  fought,  and  is  now 
fighting,  for  civil  service  reform,  in  National,  State,  and  Municipal  govern- 
ment. It  maintains  that  Cleveland  is  the  best  city  in  Ohio,  and  that  Ohio 
is  the  best  State  in  America.     But  above  all,  the  "  Leader  "  exalts  the  truth. 

Very  truly  yours, 

Mr.  James  H.  Kennedy.  James  B.  Morrow. 

Cleveland,  O.,  June  6,  1S96. 


2i6  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

edly  enlarged,  and  now  has  a  larger  circulation  than  its 
projectors  ever  hoped  for.  It  is  now  known  as  the 
"  Cleveland  Press."  It  owns  its  publication  building,  has 
five  Potter  presses,  and  is  constantly  making  improve- 
ments. The  editor-in-chief  is  E.  W.  vScripps,  president 
of  the  Scripps-McRae  league  of  newspapers.  R.  F.  Paine, '^^ 
the  editor,  has  been  with  the  paper  seventeen  years.  E. 
W.  Osborn  is  the  business  manager. 

The  "Morning  Recorder"  is  the  youngest  of  the  Cleve- 
land dailies.  Its  first  number  appeared  on  September  9, 
1895,  and  it  is  published  every  day,  except  Sunday.  It  is 
decidedly  unique,  and  aims  to  be  as  original  as  possible. 
It  is  only  four  pages,  and  seldom  uses  cuts.  Politically,  it 
is  independent  and  fearless.  The  "  Recorder  "  is  owned 
and  published  by  the  Record  Publishing  Company,  which 
was  organized  by  George  A.  Robertson,  who  has  been 
connected  with  Cleveland  journalism,  almost  constantly, 
for  twenty  years.  The  officers  of  the  company  are:  Presi- 
dent, M.  C.  Reefer  ;  Viee-President,  George  P.  Cowey; 
Treasurer,  George  A.  Robertson ;  Seeretary,  Louis  F.  Post. 
M.  C.  Reefer  is  manager,  George  A.  Robertson®''  editor, 
and  R.  B.  Gelatt  manasfina:  editor. 

**'  Dear  Sir: — It  is  the  policy  of  the  "  Cleveland  Press"  to  give  all  the 
news ;  to  permit  the  people  to  conduct  their  own  politics ;  and  to  maintain 
those  principles  which  it  deems  right,  regardless  of  sect,  political  affiliation, 
or  social  position,  of  those  who  may  be  interested  in  those  principles. 

Yours  respectfully, 

R.  F.  Paine, 
Cleveland,  O.,  June  9th,  1896.  Editor. 

*'-  Dear  Mr.  Kennedy:— The  intention  is  to  make  the  "  Recorder,"  first 
of  all,  a  newspaper.  It  contains  all  the  news,  stated  in  such  form  that  it 
may  be  qtiickly  read  by  the  busiest  man.  It  is  the  belief  of  its  founders, 
that  in  this  hustling  age,  the  publisher  who  saves  the  time  of  his  readers, 
by  carefully  editing  the  news,  is  doing  them  a  service.  The  "  Recorder  " 
is  a  protest  against  the  mammoth  sheets  of  the  time,  that  have  grown  up 
through  the  enormous  reduction  in  the  cost  of  composition,  print  paper, 
and  printing,  through  the  introduction  of  modern  machinery.  It  is  unique, 
and  original,  in  almost  every  respect,  and  the  hearty  way  in  which  it  has 
been  received  by  the  reading  public  is  a  sure  indication  that  it  is  on  the 
right  track.  In  politics,  it  is  strictly  independent,  and  will  in  the  future, 
as  in  the  past,  support  only  such  men  and  measures  as  it  believes  are  for 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  317 


The  first  issue  of  what  is  now  the  "Cleveland  Daily 
World"  made  its  appearance  on  August  29,  1889.  The 
"  Sunday  World,"  formerly  the  "  Sunday  Journal,"  had 
been  in  existence  some  years  prior  to  that  time.  The 
year  1889  was  somewhat  fruitful  in  the  starting  of  daily 
newspaper  enterprises  in  Cleveland.  The  first  that  shone 
out  was  the  "  Evening  Star,"  on  the  West  Side.  It  was 
the  daily  offshoot  of  a  weekly  paper,  by  the  same  name, 
that  had  been  issued  by  Doty  &  Hall,  on  Saturdays.  Rob- 
ison  &  Cockett,  the  proprietors  of  the  "Sunday  World," 
started  an  afternoon  "World"  in  the  last  days  of  August, 
and  George  A.  Robertson,  of  the  "  Sunday  Sun  and 
Voice,"  started  the  "Evening  Sun"  about  this  time.  A 
little  later,  in  the  fall,  the  "Morning  Times"  was  started, 
by  H.  E.  Woods  and  associates.  From  all  these  efforts, 
only  one  paper  survived,  and  that  is  now  called  the 
"Daily  and  Sunday  World."  The  process  of  growth  and 
elimination  is  interesting.  Within  a  few  weeks,  the 
"  Sun  "  and  "  AVorld  "  united,  and  the  name  "Sun"  was 
soon  dropped,  leaving  the  present  title.  The  "  World  " 
had  strong  financial  backing,  and  though  it  naturally  met 
vigorous  competition,  grew  steadily  in  circulation  and  in- 
fluence. Its  manager,  almost  from  the  start,  was  B.  F. 
Bowser,  who  came  to  Cleveland  from  Detroit.  Its  editor 
was  George  A.  Robertson.  The  president  of  the  com- 
pany, and  one  of  its  chief  financial  backers,  was  F.  B. 
Squire.  In  April,  1895,  Messrs.  Bower  and  Robertson 
sold  all  of  their  interest,  and  Mr.  Squire  most  of  his,  to 

the  best  interests  of  the  people.  It  will  never  take  into  consideration,  for 
a  moment,  the  question  of  whether  its  course  is  likely  to  be  popular 
or  not. 

It  will  constantly  depend  upon  the  truth  and  justice  of  its  position  for 
final  vindication,  and  it  cares  little  whether  immediate  victory  crowns  its 
efforts  or  not.  The  publishers  of  the  "  Recorder"  believe  that  its  estab- 
lishment marks  a  new  era  in  American  journalism.  The  day  of  the  hon- 
est newspaper,  which  gives  all  the  news  honestly,  and  which  is  not  con- 
trolled by  party,  clique  or  faction,  certainly  ought  to  dawn  about  now. 
The  "  Recorder  "  wants  to  be  a  part  of  that  dawn. 

George  A.  Robertson, 

Cleveland,  O.,  July,  1896.  Editor. 


51 8  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

Robert  P.   Porter,  who  is  now  its  editor  and  proprietor. 
The  managing  editor  is  John  J.  vSpurgeon."'^ 

'^^  Tlie  following  statement,  as  to  policy  and  principles,  is  authorized  by 
the  "  World  "  management :  "The  'Cleveland  World'  is  Republican  in 
politics,  never  refusing  to  criticise  the  shortcomings  of  those  elevated  to 
office  by  the  Republican  party,  if  criticism  is  necessary,  yet  its  unswerving 
loyalty  to  Republican  principles  has  been  one  of  the  sources  of  strength 
to  the  organization,  in  its  city,  its  county  and  its  State.  Its  advocacy  of 
the  eight-hour  day,  its  practical  carrying  out  of  the  eight-hour  day,  within 
its  office,  and  its  encouragement  of  all  that  is  best  and  right,  for  the  ad- 
vancement of  the  laboring  men  of  its  constituency,  and  of  the  whole  coun- 
try, have  made  it  the  accepted  friend  of  labor  and  its  advocates." 


K 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

CLEVELAND'S  CENTENNIAL  YEAR. 

The  dawn  of  July  22,  1896,  saw  the  completion  of 
Cleveland's  first  century  of  existence,  reckoned  from  that 
earlier  July  day  which  witnessed  the  landing  of  Moses 
Cleaveland,  and  his  little  company  of  surveyors,  upon  the 
green  banks  of  the  Cuyahoga  River.  In  the  pages  which 
have  gone  before,  we  have  learned  of  the  wonderful 
things  that  these  one  hundred  years  of  faithful  and  fruit- 
ful labor  have  accomplished. 

It  was,  of  course,  a  matter  of  general  agreement  that 
this  Centennial  anniversary  should  be  fittingly  cele- 
brated. The  first  public  suggestion  of  concerted  action 
came,  quite  properly,  from  that  organization  which  has 
accomplished  so  much  in  the  collection  and  preservation 
of  local  history  —  the  Early  vSettlers'  Association  of  Cuy- 
ahoga Count  V. 

At  the  annual  meeting  of  that  body,  on  July  22,  1893, 
John  C.  Covert  offered  the  following  resolution:**  "That 
the  president  appoint  a  committee  of  nine  persons,  he  to 
be  the  chairman,  to  confer  with  the  City  Council,  Cham- 
ber of  Commerce,  and  other  local  bodies,  to  provide  for  a 
proper  celebration  of  the  Centennial  anniversary  of  the 
landing  of  Moses  Cleaveland,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Cuya- 
hoga River,  on  July  22,  1796." 

This  resolution  was  unanimously  adopted.  In  obedi- 
ence to  its  directions,  the  president  appointed  the  follow- 
ing gentlemen  members  of  such  committee  :  John  C. 
Covert,  A.  J.  Williams,  Bolivar  Butts,  James  Barnett, 
George  F.  Marshall,  Wilson  vS.  Dodge,  Solon  Burgess,  H. 
M.  Addison.      Richard  C.  Parsons,  president  of  the  Asso- 

^■*  "Annals  of  the  Early  Settlers'  Association,"  Vol.  IIL,  No.  2,  pp.  45  and 
106. 


Z20  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


elation,  became,  by  the  terms  of  the  resokition,  ehairman 
of  the  eommittee. 

The  important  question  thus  raised  was  discussed 
favorably  bv  the  general  public.  The  officers  and  mem- 
bers of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  showed  an  especial  in- 
terest in  the  matter.  At  a  meeting-  of  the  Chamber,  held 
on  November  21.  1S93,  the  following  resolutions  were 
adopted : 

Whereas,  The  year  1S96  will  mark  the  one-hundredth  anniversary  of 
the  founding  of  the  City  of  Cleveland ;  and, 

"Whereas,  So  important  an  event  deserves  commemoration  in  the  degree 
to  which  Cleveland  has  made  advancement  during  that  period  in  popula- 
tion, wealth,  commerce,  education  and  arts;  therefore. 

Resolved,  That  a  committee  of  five  be  appointed  by  the  Chamber  of 
Commerce,  whose  duty  it  shall  be  to  begin  at  once  timely  and  suitable  prep- 
arations for  an  appropriate  celebration  of  the  city's  Centennial,  to  the  end 
that  various  important  public  improvements  now  in  progress,  or  in  con- 
templation, maj-,  by  unity  and  harmonj'  of  action,  be  brought  to  a  culmi- 
nation in  that  year,  and  the  occasion  be  thus  distinguished  by  tangible 
evidences  of  the  city's  growth  and  glory. 

The  foUoAving  gentlemen  were  appointed  members  of 
that  committee:  Wilson  ]\I.  Day,  chairman;  W.  J.  Akers, 
H.  A.  Garfield,  S.  F.  Haserot.  Webb  C.  Hayes,  Geo.  W. 
Kinney,  O.  ^I.   Stafford. 

This  committee  submitted  an  elabt)rate  report  to  the 
Chamber,  which  was  adopted  with  enthusiasm.  The 
same  committee,  .substantially,  was  reappointed  in  1894, 
and  made  a  further  report,  which  was  likewise  adopted. 
Its  closing  recommendation  was  that  a  commission  be 
formed,  consisting  of  the  governor  of  the  State,  the  secre- 
tary  of  State,  the  auditor  of  State,  the  president  of  the 
Senate,  and  the  speaker  of  the  House,  ex  officio  ;  the  may- 
or, the  director  of  law,  the  director  of  public  works,  the 
president  of  the  City  Council,  and  the  director  of  schools, 
ex  officio,  and  fifteen  citizens  at  large. 

Cleveland  was  thus  committed,  through  her  early  set- 
tlers and  representative  business  men,  to  a  fitting  celebra- 
tion of  the  one-hundredth  anniversary  of  her  birth. 

A  conference  was  held  on  May  11,  1895.  by  Robert  E. 
McKisson,  mavor  of  Cleveland;   Samuel  G.  ^IcClure,  sec- 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  32 ' 

retary  of  the  Board  of  Control;  Wilson  M.  Day,  president 
of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce,  and  Ryerson  Ritchie,  sec- 
retary of  the  Chamber,  in  Avhich  the  way  was  prepared 
for  the  work  of  the  future.  At  a  second  meeting  of  the 
above-named  gentlemen  and  representatives  of  the  Early 
Settlers"  Association's  Committee,  held  on  May  17th,  the 
full  Centennial  Commission  was  selected,  as  follows: 

State  :  William  ]SIcKinley,  Governor;  Samuel  M.  Tay- 
lor, secretary  of  state;  Edward  W.  Poe,  auditor  of  state; 
Andrew  L.  Harris,  president  of  the  vSenate;  Alexander 
Boxwell,  speaker  of  the  house. 

Municipality :  Robert  E.  McKisson,  Mayor;  Minor  G. 
Norton,  director  of  law;  Darwin  E.  AVright,  director  of 
public  works;  Dan  F.  Reynolds,  Jr.,  president  of  the 
Citv  Council:   H.  O.  Sargent,  director  of  schools. 

At  Large :  Wm.  J.  x\kers,  Chas.  W.  Chase,  Martin  A. 
Foran,  John  F.  Pankhurst,  Henry  M.  Brooks,  H.  M.  Ad- 
dison, L.  E.  Holden,  A.  J.  Williams,  Moritz  Joseph, 
Richard  C.  Parsons,  Bolivar  Butts,  Wilson  M.  Day, 
Augustus  Zehring,   Geo.    F.  Marshall,  Geo.   W.    Kinney. 

The  first  officers  were  :  Honorary  President ,  William 
McKinley. 

President.  Robert  E.  McKisson. 

First  Jlee-President,  Wilson  M.  Day. 

Second  ]lee-Prcsidcnt,  A.  J.  Williams. 

Secretary,  Samuel  G.  McClure. 

Treasurer,  Charles  W.  Chase. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  executive  committee  of  the  com- 
mission, it  was  decided  to  recommend  Wilson  M.  Day, 
president  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce,  and  a  most  active 
and  intelligent  advocate  of  all  measures  proposed  for  the 
city's  good,  for  the  important  position  of  director-general. 
At  a  meeting  of  the  Commission,  on  July  iith,  Mr.  Day 
was,  therefore,  unanimously  elected.  L.  E.  Holden  was 
chosen  his  successor,  in  the  office  of  first  vice-president. 
It  was  also  decided,  at  this  meeting,  that  the  celebration 
should  open  on  July  22nd,  and  close  on  September  10,  1896. 

Thus  equipped,  the   Cleveland  Centennial  Commission 


522 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


opened  headquarters  in  the  City  Hall,  and  entered  upon 
the  accomplishment  of  the  important  labor  committed  to 
its  hands.  It  was  the  general  opinion  that  an  exposition 
could  best  set  forth  the  greatness  of  Cleveland,  as  a  center 
of  business  activities,  and,  at  the  same  time,  commemorate 
her  Centennial  birthday.  A  careful  study  of  the  whole 
question  was  entered  upon.  Committees  visited  various 
other  cities,  where  such  expositions  had  been  held  ;  many 
conferences  were  had  with  business  men  of  Cleveland  and 
elsewhere.  All  the  arguments  for  and  against  were  care- 
fully considered.  A  suggestion  was  finally  made  for  the 
purchase  of  exposition  grounds  and  the  erection  of  the 
needed  buildinevS.     This  was  taken  into  consideration,  at  a 

series  of  meetings  of  business 
men,  but  from  a  lack  of  the 
needed  funds,  and  doubts  about 
the  raisins:  of  the  same,  the 
shortness  of  the  time  remain- 
ing, and  other  valid  considera- 
tions, the  project  of  an  exposi- 
tion was  abandoned  in  the  first 
month  of  the  Centennial  year. 

Meanwhile,  the  preparations 
for  a  due  celebration  of  the 
event,  along  other  lines,  had 
been  pushed  forward.  A  fund 
of  some  sixty  thousand  dollars  '^^ 
was  raised.  The  commissioners  and  their  director-een- 
eral  desired  to  make  the  celebration  one  of  the  greatest 
and  most  successful  ever  seen  in  the  West.  In  addition 
to  arranging  all  the  needed  details  for  a  series  of  events 

^'■'  It  is  proper  to  state  here  that  a  preliminary  fund  of  $8,113  was  raised 
by  popular  subscription,  followed  by  a  general  fund  of  $63,740.25.  The 
chief  work  in  connection  therewith  was  performed  by  a  finance  committee, 
consisting  of  C.  C.  Burnett,  chairman;  F.  F.  Hickox  and  F.  L.  Alcott, 
vice-chairmen;  Myron  T.  Herrick,  treasurer;  Henry  Humphreys,  secre- 
tary; William  Edwards,  George  T.  Mcintosh,  Henry  S.  Blossom,  C.  F. 
Brush,  and  John  Meckes.  All  expenses  of  the  celebration  were  eventually 
paid,  leaving  a  balance  in  the  treasury. 


MAYOR    R.    E.    M'KISSON. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  323 


of  a  general  character,  a  great  task  was  undertaken  in  se- 
curing and  providing  for  various  conventions,  and  other 
gatherings,  that  were  to  be  a  part  of  this  summer  of  pa- 
triotic celebration.  A  department,  under  the  control  of 
the  women  of  Cleveland,  was  added,  and  to  it  was  as- 
signed the  W(n"k  of  seeing  that  the  part  taken  by  women 
in  the  building  up  of  Cleveland,  should  be  fittingly  rec- 
ognized and  commemorated. 

It  was  decided  that  the  series  of  events  for  the  Centen- 
nial summer  should  commence  with  July  19th,  the  Sab- 
bath preceding  the  anniversary  of  July  22nd,  and  end 
with  September  loth,  the  day  made  memorable  by  Com- 
modore Perry's  decisive  victory  on  Lake  Erie.  The  main 
features  of  the  programme  may  be  briefly  outlined,  as 
follows : 

July  19th. — Sacred  and  patriotic  selections  on  Trinity 
Cathedral  chimes,  at  8  a.  m.  ;  Centennial  services  in  the 
churches,  at  10.30  a.  m.  ;  citizens'  mass  meeting  in  the 
Central  Armory,  at  2.30  p.  m.  ;  mass  meeting  of  German 
Ltitheran  congregations  of  Cleveland  and  vicinity,  in 
Music  Hall,  at  2.30  p.  m.  ;  Centennial  services  in  the 
churches,  at  7.30  p.  m.  ;  mass  meeting  of  German  Protest- 
ant congregations  in  Central  Armory,  at  7.30  p.  m. 

July  20th. — Opening  of  the  Ohio  National  Guard,  and 
United  States  Regulars'  encampment,  at  Camp  Moses 
Cleaveland,  at  2.30  p.  m.  ;  opening  of  Centennial  exhibi- 
tion of  Cleveland  School  of  Art,  at  8  p.  m. 

July  2 1  St. —  Opening  of  the  log-cabin  on  the  Public 
Square,  at  2  p.  m.  ;  reception  at  the  cabin,  by  the  women 
of  the  Early  Settlers'  Association,  between  10  a.  m.  and 
5  p.  m.  ;   Centennial  concert,  at  7.30  p.  m. 

July  22nd.- — Founder's  Day.  Centennial  salute,  by  the 
Cleveland  Light  Artillery,  12  midnight;  national  salute, 
at  5.30  a.  m.  ;  reception  of  guests,  8  to  9  a.  m.  ;  public 
exercises  in  Central  Armory,  at  9.30  a.  m. ;  grand  parade 
of  military  and  uniformed  civic  organizations,  at  2.30  p.' 
m.  ;  national  salute  at  5.30  p.  m. ;  illumination  of  Cen- 
tennial Arch  at  8  p.  m.,  followed  by  historical  pageant, 


524  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


"The  Passing  of  the  Century;"  Centennial  reception  and 
ball  at  Grays'  Armory,  at  lo  p.  w\. 

July  2  3rd.^ — -New  England  Day.  Boat  ride  and  street 
railway  excursion,  to  Ohio  editors,  at  y.30  and  10. 15  a.  m. ; 
New  England  dinner,  at  12.30  p.  ni.  ;  carriage  ride  to 
Ohio  editors,  at  3  p.  m.  ;  Centennial  comic  opera,  ''  From 
Moses  to  McKisson,"  in  Euclid  Avenue  Opera  House,  at 
7.30  p.  m.  ;  open  air  concert,  at  8  p.  m. 

July  24th.- — Wheelmen's  Day.  Wheelmen's  parade, 
at  3  p.  m.  [afterwards  changed,  on  account  of  rain,  to  July 
27th]  :  gymnastic  and  athletic  exhibitions  by  united  Ger- 
man, Bohemian  and  Swiss  societies,  in  Central  Armory, 
at  7.30  p.  m. 

July  28th. — -Woman's  Day.  Exercises  in  Central  Ar- 
mory, from  9  a.  m.  to  4.15  p.  m.  ;  reception  in  (xrays' 
Armory,  at  5.30  p.  m.  ;  banquet,  at  6.30  p.  m. 

July  29th. — Early  Settlers'  Day.  Annual  meeting  of 
the  Early  Settlers'  Association,  in  Army  and  Navy  Hall, 
at  9.30  a.  m.  ;  meeting  of  representatives  of  pioneer  asso- 
ciations within  the  Western  Reserve,  at  12.30  p.  m. 

July  30th.- — Western  Reserve  Day.  National  salute,  at 
5.30  a.  m.  ;  exercises  in  Central  Armory,  at  9.30  a.  m.  ; 
military  and  pioneer  parade,  at  2.30  p.  m.  ;  open  air  con- 
cert, at  8  p.  m. 

August  loth. — Centennial  yacht  regatta;  to  continue 
until  the  evening  of  August  13th. 

August  1 8th. — Centennial  Floral  Exhibition;  to  con- 
tinue until  the  evening:  of  Auo-ust  20th. 

August  22nd. — Opening  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  en- 
campment :  Exercises  to  continue  until  the  evening  of 
August  29th. 

vSeptember  7th.- — Historical  conference;  sections  of 
education,  religion,  and  philanthropy;  to  continue  un- 
til the  afternoon  of  September  9th. 

September  loth. — Perry's  Victory  Day.  National  sa- 
lute at  5.30  a.  m;  public  exercises  in  Central  Armory,  at 
9.30  a.  m.  ;  grand  military  and  industrial  parade,  at  2.30 
p.  m. ;  national  salute,  at   5.30  p.   m.  ;  spectacular  enter- 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


j-o 


tainnient  on  the  lake  front,  at  8  p.  m.,  '*The  Battle  of 
Lake  Erie;  "  offieial  banquet  of  the  Centennial  Commis- 
sion, at  9.30  p.  m. 

There  had  been  some  ehano-es  in  the  Centennial  Com- 
mission,  since  its  formation,  and,  that  justice  may  be  done 
to  manv  earnest  workers  not  yet  named,  the  members  of 
that  body,  as  it  was  constituted  on  the  opening  of  the  cele- 
brations, may  be  here  given,  as  follows: 

Honorary  President.  Asa  S.  Bushnell. 

Honorary  Secretary.  Samuel  G.  ]\IcClure. 

President.  Robert  E.  McKisson. 

First  Jlee-Prcsident,  L.  E.  Holden. 

Seeond  J'iee-President,  A.   J.  Williams. 

Secretary,  Edward  A.  Roberts. 

Treasurer,  Charles  W.  Chase. 

Director-Genera/.  Wilson  M.  Day. 

State  Members  :  Asa  S.  Bushnell,  Governor;  vS.  ^I.  Tay- 
lor, secretary  of  state;  W.  D.  Guilbert,  auditor  of  state; 
Asa  W.  Jones,  president  of  the  vSenate;  D.  L.  Sleeper, 
speaker  of  the  house. 

Municipal  Members  :  Robert  E.  McKisson,  Mayor:  Minor 
G.  Norton,  director  of  law;  Darwin  E.  Wright,  director 
of  public  works ;  Frank  A.  Emerson,  president  of  the  City 
Council;   H.  Q.  vSargent,  director  of  schools. 

Mcmbers-atdaj'ge :  William  J.  Akers,  H.  ]M.  Addison, 
A.  T.  Anderson,  Bolivar  Butts,  Clarence  E.  Burke, 
Charles  F.  Brush,  Charles  W.  Chase,  George  W.  Cady, 
John  C.  Covert,  Wilson  M.  Day,  George  Deming,  Will- 
iam Edwards,  Martin  A.  Foran,  Kaufman  Hays,  H.  R. 
Hatch,  Orlando  J.  Hodge,  L.  E.  Holden,  James  H.  Hoyt, 
M.  A.  Hanna,  John  C.  Hutchins,  George  W.  Kinney, 
John  Meckes,  James  B.  ]\Iorrow,  Daniel  Myers,  vSamuel 
Mather,  E.  W.  Oglebay,  James  M.  Richardson,  H.  A. 
Sherwin,  A.  J.  Williams,  A.  L.  Withington,  Augustus 
Zehrino". 

Amonof  those  who  also  assisted  in  the  labors  of  Centen- 
nial  year,  as  chairmen  of  committees,  to  which  special 
work  was  assigned,  or  in   charge  of  sections  and  depart- 


S26  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


mcnts.  created  by  the  Commission,  the  following  may  be 
named:  Finance-Executive,  C.  C.  Burnett;  Military,  George 
A.  Garretson  ;  Music,  Byron  E.  Helman ;  Decoration,  L.  N. 
Weber:  Loi^-Cabiu,  Bolivar  Butts ;  Reception  and  Eiitcrtaiii- 
nicnt.  Founder^ s  Day,  ^Villiam  Edwards;  l^uldic  Observa)iccs, 
]'oundcr's  Day,  L.  E.  Holden ;  Parade,  d\>uiide)''s  Day  and 
J  J 'ester//  Rcsc/-ve  Day,  J.  J.  Sullivan;  Pagea//t,  Fo/i//der' s 
Day,  (reorge  W.  Kinney;  Receptio//  a//d  J>aII,  F'o////der's 
Day,  Mrs.  William  Edwards;  iVezc  England  Dinner,  Nczv 
Engla/id  Day,  N.  B.  Sherwin ;  OJiio  Editors,  New  Engla/id 
Day,  Ralph  D.  AVilliams ;  Bicycle  Parade,  J.  E.  Cheesman; 
Public  Obserra//ces,  Wester//  Reserve  ai/d  Early  Settlers'  Day, 
Henry  W.  S.  Wood;  Yacht  Regatta,  George  H.  Worthing- 
ton  ;  Cei/te////ial  Floral  Exl/ibitio//,  E.  H.  Cushman  ;  Knights 
of  ]\vthias  E//ca///p//ie//t,  James  Dunn;  Historical  Co//fere//ce, 
Sectio//  of  Ed/tcatio//,  Charles  F.  Thwing;  Seetio/i  of  Phila/i- 
thropy,  J.  W.  Walton;  Sectio//  of  Religio//,  J.  G.  W.  Cowles; 
Speakers  a//d  Exercises,  Perry's  Metory  Day,  William  J. 
Gleason  ;  Receptio//  a//d  E//tertai/////e//t ,  J\-rry\s  Jletory  Day, 
F.  H.  Morris. 

The  oilicers  and  executive  committee  of  the  Woman's 
Department,  Centennial  Commission,  were  as  follows: 

Presidci/t,  Mrs.  Mary  B.  Ingham. 

]lee-Preside//ts,  Mrs.  Mary  Scranton  Bradford,  Mrs.  Sa- 
rah E.  Bierce,  Mrs.  Geo.  Presley,  Jr.,  Mrs.  Joseph  Turney. 

Recordi//g  Secretary,  Mrs.  Ella  Sturtevant  Webb. 

Correspo/idi//g  Secretary,  Mrs.  S.  P.  Churchill. 

Treas/irer,  Miss  Elizabeth  Blair. 

Assista//t-Treas/irer,  Miss  Elizabeth  Stanton. 

Histor/a//,  Mrs.  Gertrude  V.  R.  Wickham. 

Excc/itive  Co//////ittee :  Mrs.  Elroy  M.  Avery,  chairman; 
Mrs.  Charles  W.  Chase,  Mrs.  T.  K.  Dissette,  Mrs.  H.  A. 
Griffin,  Mrs.  M.  A.  Hanna,  Mrs.  P.  M.  Hitchcock,  Mrs. 
O.  J.  Flodge,  Mrs.  John  Huntington,  Mrs.  F.  A.  Ken- 
dall, Mrs.  W.  B.  Neff,  Mrs.  N.  B.  Prentice,  Mrs.  W.  G. 
Rose,  Mrs.  L.  A.  Russell,  Mrs.  M.  B.  Schwab,  Mrs. 
Charles  H.  Weed,  Mrs.  A.  J.  Williams. 

The  formal  opening  of  these  prolonged  and  varied  re- 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


527 


joicing-s,  in  which  patriotic  Cleveland  was  to  testify  of  the 
many  good  things  scattered  along  its  first  hundred  years 
of  lusty  life,  was  fittingly  found  in  the  uplifting  of  many 
voices  in  that  grand  and  appropriate  chorus  from  Elijah, 
"  Thanks  be  to  Godl"  In  this  noble  strain  the  reverent 
gratitude  of  the  people  found  expression.  Already  the 
chimes  of  Trinity  had  rung  out  selections  from  national 
and  sacred  airs;   already  had  the  churches  of  the  city,  dur- 


EUCLIl)    AVEME,    KRd.M    ERIE    STREET. 

ino-  the  mornino-  hours  of  this  Sabbath  dav,  set  the  seal 
of  sermon,  and  song,  and  prayer,  in  approval  of  the  cele- 
bration of  the  Centennial  year. 

A  great  concourse  of  people  had  gathered  in  the  Cen- 
tral Armory,  on  the  afternoon  of  Sunday,  July  19th.  The 
hall  was  fittingly  decorated,  the  starry  flag,  of  course,  be- 
ing displayed  in  every  quarter.     All  classes  of  citizens 


j^S  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

were  represented,  and  on  the  platform  sat  members  of  the 
Centennial  Commission  and  committees,  leading  clergy- 
men of  various  denominations,  officers  of  the  city  govern- 
ment and  Chamber  of  Commerce,  and  others  who  had 
aided  the  work  in  various  ways.  A  large  number  of  local 
organizations,  military  and  fraternal,  were  also  in  attend- 
ance, in  uniform. 

The  order  of  exercises  was  opened  by  J.  G.  W.  Cowles, 
chairman  of  the  Committee  on  Section  of  Religion,  who 
asked  the  Cleveland  Vocal  Society  to  render  the  great 
hymn  of  thanksgiving,  spoken  of  above.  Prayer  was  then 
offered  by  the  Right  Rev.  Bishop  William  A.  Leonard, 
and  at  the  conclus^ion,  the  entire  audience,  with  heads 
bowed  in  reverence,  accompanied  him  in  the  Lord's 
Prayer. 

Mr.  Cowles,  as  chairman  of  the  section  havino-  this 
gathering  in  charge,  then  delivered  a  thoughtful  and 
impressive  address,  in  which  he  outlined  the  causes 
which,  set  at  work  one  hundred  years  ago,  had  produced 
such  wonderful  effects.  In  opening,  he  struck  the  key- 
note of  the  occasion  when  he  said:  "In  this  historic  hour, 
closing  the  century,  we  are  gathered  here,  without  distinc- 
tion of  race,  or  sect,  or  creed,  to  review  the  records  and 
recall  the  memories  of  the  first  one  hundred  years  of  our 
city's  life.  What  can  be  more  appropriate  than  that  this 
first  Centennial  observance  should  be  upon  the  vSabbath 
day  ?  And,  from  what  higher  summit,  or  with  what  clearer 
and  larger  outlook,  can  we  survey  this  period,  than  from 
the  standpoint  of  religion?"  In  conclusion,  he  said: 
"W^hat  I  have  said  is  introductory,  and  suggestive  only. 
It  is  for  those  who  follow  to  exhibit,  in  various  colors  and 
relations,  the  religious  life  and  progress  of  this  citv.  In 
the  great  world-order,  the  Jew  stands  first,  the  Catholic 
next,  and  the  Protestant  last.  But  in  our  local  history, 
the  Protestant  was  the  pioneer,  followed,  after  thirty-nine 
years,  by  the  Catholic,  and,  after  forty-three  years,  by  the 
Jewish  church.  The  contributions  of  each  one  of  these 
factors  and  faiths  have  been  of  incalculable  value  to  this 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  j>g 


community  and  to  mankind.  Let  each  one  speak  for  his 
faith,  from  his  separate  point  of  view,  and  speak  well,  for 
each  faith  deserves  to  be  well  spoken  of. ' ' 

In  response  to  this  broad  and  noble-minded  invitation, 
addresses  were  delivered  by  Rev.  Levi  Gilbert,  repre- 
senting-the  Protestant  churches;  Mgr.  T.  P.  Thorpe,  the 
Catholic  church,  and  Rabbi  ^Nloses  J.  Gries,  the  Jewish 
church.  Prayer  was  offered  by  Rev.  Herman  J.  Ruete- 
nik,  and  these  opening  exercises  came  to  a  close  bv  the 
entire  assembly  joining  in  the  hymn,  "Nearer,  my  God, 
to  Thee!" 

During  the  same  afternoon,  the  various  German  Luther- 
an congregations  of  the  city  gathered  in  mass  meeting  in 
Music  Hall,  in  like  observance  of  the  opening  of  Cleve- 
land's Centennial.  The  exercises  w-ere  conducted  almost 
entirely  in  German.  The  chair  was  occupied  bv  Rev. 
Paul  Schwan.  The  pastors  of  nearly  all  the  congrega- 
tions represented,  were  present  on  the  platform.  The 
only  decorations  were  the  American  flag,  and  in  front  of 
the  stage  was  a  banner  bearing  these  -words :  ' '  Praise  God 
from  Whom  all  Blessings  Flow."  Prayers,  speeches, 
and  songs  were  the  means  employed  by  the  patriotic  Ger- 
nians  to  show  that  they  also  claimed  a  part  in  the  past  of 
Cleveland,  and  were  ready  to  do  honor  to  the  present. 
Addresses  were  delivered  by  Rev.  H.  Weseloh,  Rev.  W. 
H.  Lothmann,  of  Akron,  and  the  Rev.  John  Wepel,  of 
Zanesville. 

In  the  evening,  there  were  further  Centennial  services 
in  the  churches,  and  yet  another  mass  meeting,  of  German 
Protestant  congregations,  in  Central  Armory.  Rev.  F. 
Friedrich  presided.  The  exercises  were  opened  bv  a 
hymn  and  prayer,  after  which  Mayor  McKisson  was  in- 
troduced and  made  a  brief  address,  the  beginning  of  which 
was  as  follows:  "This  day  has  marked  the  opening  of  our 
long  anticipated  Centennial  celebration.  After  many 
months  of  waiting  and  planning,  a  period  of  rejoicing, 
over  the  completion  of  one  hundred  years  of  the  city's 
history,  has  arrived.      This  mass  meeting  is  a  mark  of  the 


530  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


strength  of  our  German  citizenship,  and  an  earnest  of 
your  lively  interest  in  the  welfare  and  prosperity  of  our 
municipality. ' ' 

Director-General  Day  was  then  introduced,  and  in  a 
brief  but  stirring  address  paid  a  fitting  tribute  to  the  Ger- 
man character  and  German  patriotism.  In  conclusion,  he 
said:  "May  the  churches  which  you  represent  ever  be 
the  fountains  of  the  purest  religion,  the  broadest  culture, 
and  the  highest  patriotism.  In  the  naine  of  the  Centen- 
nial Commission,  I  greet  you.  God  save  the  Fatherland! 
God  save  America!" 

This  conclusion  touched  a  responsive  chord,  and  the 
applause  lasted  for  several  moments.  The  entire  audi- 
ence then  arose  and  joined  in  singing  "America." 

An  address  in  German  was  delivered  by  Rev.  J.  H.  C. 
Roentgen,  whose  theme  was  the  immigration  of  Germans 
into  Cleveland,  and  its  results.  Rev.  G.  Heinmiller  then 
spoke  on  "A  History  of  the  German  Churches  of  Cleve- 
land." He  gave  a  comprehensive  review  of  the  strug- 
gles of  the  early  German  Church  in  this  city,  and  in  Ohio. 
A  hymn,  followed  by  prayer,  brought  the  evening's  ex- 
ercises to  a  close. 

Monday,  July  20th,  witnessed  the  opening  of  the  en- 
campment of  the  Ohio  National  Guard,  and  United  States 
Regulars,  which  had  been  established  on  the  farm  of  J. 
B.  Perkins,  to  the  west  of  the  city,  and  appropriately 
named  "Camp  Moses  Cleaveland."  At  three  o  'clock  in 
the  afternoon,  Hon.  Asa  vS.  Bushnell,  governor  of  Ohio, 
arrived  at  the  camp  grounds,  accompanied  by  members 
of  his  staff,  Robert  E.  McKisson,  mayor  of  Cleveland;  J. 
G.  AV.  Cowles,  president  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce, 
and  other  distinguished  gentlemen.  The  day  had  been 
one  of  rain  and  clouds,  but  at  that  hour  a  truce  was  called, 
and  a  short  period  of  sunshine  ensued. 

The  troops  formed  a  hollow  square  about  the  Governor's 
party,  who  were  standing  by  the  flagstaff  in  the  center  of 
the  camp.  L.  E.  Holden,  representing  the  Centennial 
Commission,  then  introduced  Mavor  McKisson,  who  after 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  531 


an  eloquent  speech,  in  turn  introduced  the  Governor,  in 
these  words:  "I  now  take  pleasure  in  presenting,  on  be- 
half of  the  Centennial  Commission,  to  Governor  Bushnell, 
as  commander-in-chief,  this  end-of-the-century  encamp- 
ment, to  be  known  as  Camp  ^Moses  Cleaveland." 

The  Governor  said :  "Mr.  Chairman  and  Mayor  McKis- 
son.  ofhcers  and  men  of  the  Ohio  National  Guard,  and 
officers  and  men  of  the  Reu'ular  Armv : 

"  When  freedom  from  her  mountain  height 
Unfurled  her  banner  to  the  air, 
She  tore  the  azure  robe  of  night 

And  placed  the  stars  of  glorj-  there!" 

At  this  moment  the  halyard  was  pulled,  and  the  Star 
Spangled  Banner  shook  out.  in  all  its  glory,  under  the  now 
darkening  skies,  while  the  batterv  down  below  boomed 
its  saltite  of  twenty-one  gtms,  in  unison  with  the  mightier 
artillery,  which  the  elements  had  set  rolling  overhead. 

The  speech  of  acceptance  of  the  camp,  which  followed, 
was  brief,  earnest,  and  to  the  point.  Addressing  the 
mayor,  the  Governor  said:  "  I  desire  to  thank  you,  and 
through  you,  the  people  of  your  magnificent  city,  for  the 
generous  gift  of  this  camp,  and  I  hereby  accept  it  for  the 
State,  and  dedicate  it  for  the  uses  for  which  you  present 
it,  and  christen  it  '  Camp  ]\Ioses  Cleaveland,'  in  honor  of 
the  founder  of  your  beautiful  city."  It  was  in  a  down- 
pour of  heavy  rain  that  these  words  of  dedication  were 
uttered,  and  because  of  this  the  exercises  came  to  an  end. 

Under  the  immediate  advice  and  direction  of  those  who 
had  been,  in  their  earlier  davs.  sheltered  in  structures  of 
that  character,  a  log-cabin,  fashioned  upon  the  real  sub- 
stantial lines  of  pioneer  architecture,  had  been  constructed 
by  the  Centennial  managers,  on  the  northeavSt  quarter  of 
the  Public  Square,  and  July  21st  had  been  set  aside  for 
its  dedication. 

The  human  eye,  and  the  human  mind,  can  quite  readily 
grasp  any  lesson  taught  by  contrasts.  In  no  better  or 
more  telling  way  could  the  advance  of  this  completed 
centurv  be  shown  than  bv  the  location  of  this  facsimile  of 


jj^  FHE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

the  pioneer  dwelling  tinder  the  very  shadows  of  the  great 
strnctiires  surrounding  it.  The  mind  was  carried  back  to 
that  dav  when  General  Cleaveland  and  his  aids  awoke 
the  echoes  of  the  Cuyahoga  Valley  with  the  sturdy  strokes 
that  created  that  first  cabin,  in  which  they  found  a  home 
and  headquarters  during  the  summer  of  1796:  or  that 
earlier  "Castle  Stow."  down  on  the  Conneaut  River,  that 
excited  the  amused  wonder  of  even  the  children  of  the 
forest. 

Many  of  the  beloved  mothers  and  fathers  of  Cleveland 
ofathered  within  this  rude  structure,  to  assist  in  its  dedica- 
tion.  At  2  p.  m..  Chairman  Bolivar  Butts,  of  the  Com- 
mittee on  Reception,  introduced  Richard  C.  Parsons, 
chairman  of  the  day.  Colonel  Parsons  thanked  Mr.  Butts 
for  the  honor  conferred,  and  then  introduced  the  Rev. 
Lathrop  Cooley,  who  asked  the  divine  blessing  upon  the 
occasion. 

The  Arion  Quartet  sang  "^ly  Country!  'tis  of  thee," 
after  which  Mr.  Parsons  made  a  brief  but  eloquent  ad- 
dress, in  which  he  paid  a  fitting  tribute  to  the  log-cabin 
as  the  birthplace  and  home  of  some  of  our  greatest  men. 
Amone  other  things,  he  said:  "We   come   this  dav,  not 

too  •• 

to  dedicate  the  log-cabin,  or  inaugurate  its  use  in  Ohio. 
We  come  to  honor  and  pay  to  it  our  most  sincere  homage 
of  admiration  and  regard.  We  see  in  it  the  veritable 
symbol  of  our  earliest  civilization,  in  this  country,  and  set- 
tlement in  Ohio.  The  log-cabin  is  the  cradle  of  the  old 
statesmen  of  Ohio,  the  nursery  of  her  stalwart  sons  and 
daughters.  It  has  long  been  dedicated  to  the  service  of 
man  and  the  house  of  God." 

Speeches  were  then  made  by  Mayor  ^IcKisson.  Jaines 
Lawrence,  and  AV.  S.  Kerruish.  Gen.  J.  J.  Elwell  was 
called  upon,  and  in  the  cotirse  of  his  brief  remarks  made 
this  telling  comparison:  "From  this  cabin  to  the  build- 
ing of  the  Societv  for  vSavings  [just  across  the  street]  is  an 
object-lesson  of  what  has  been  done  in  Cleveland,  more 
impressive  and  instructive  than  anything  I  can  say.  Look 
at  them  as  they  standi      The  log-cabin,  with  no  money  — 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


S33 


not  a  cent.  The  bank,  with  twenty  or  thirty  millions,  be- 
longing to  the  citizens  of  Cleveland  and  the  county. 
From  poverty  to  wealth,  is  the  stor}'  they  tell." 

George  F.  Marshall,  a  pioneer  of  Cleveland,  whose  pen 
and  voice  have  given  iis  so  many  bright  and  humorous 
accounts  of  the  early  days,  next  made  one  of  his  charac- 
teristic speeches.      He  spoke  feelingly  of  those  who  had 


THE    PRESENT    ST.    PALL'S    EPISCOPAL    CHURCH. 

worked  so  well  to  lay  the  foundations  of  our  city  and 
State  so  broad  and  deep.  "These  men  have  long  since 
passed  away,"  said  he,  "and  with  each  name,  with  scarce 
an  exception,  was  a  woman  who  shared  the  joys  and  sor- 
rows of  those  who  helped  to  make  the  far-famed  Western 
Reserve  one  of  the  proudest  districts  of  modern  times. 
Since  those  pioneers  have  passed  away,  the  generations 


jj4  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

Avhich  followed  them  would  like  to  be  rated  as  'pioneers,' 
but  tliev  have  enccnintered  none  of  that  wrestling  with 
nature  which  the  men  were  engaged  in  eighty  or  ninety 
vears  ago.  Few  who  are  here  to-day  may  be  regarded  as 
pioneers.  We  are  all  too  young  to  claim  such  honor. 
The  first  cabins  were  of  the  earth  earthy ;  the  last  ones 
try  to  reach  the  sky." 

This  brought  the  formal  exercises  to  an  end.  The 
women  of  the  Early  Settlers'  Association  held  a  reception 
from  lo  a.m.  to  5  p.m.,  and  entertained  many  visitors. 
Great  interest  was  shown  in  the  many  relics  and  heir- 
looms with  which  the  cabin  Avas  stocked.  All  through 
the  summer  of  celebration,  this  log-cabin  was  one  of  the 
thines  which  the  visitor  would  make  sure  to  see. 

The  evening  of  "  Log-Cabin  Day,"  as  it  might  Avell 
have  been  called,  witnessed  the  Centennial  concert  ar- 
ranged for  that  occasion.  It  was  held  in  the  Central  Ar- 
mory.  One  feature  of  especial  attraction  was  the  grand 
historical  musical  spectacle,  entitled  "Battles  of  our  Na- 
tion." It  covered  the  military  history  of  our  country  for 
a  hundred  years.  The  music  was  furnished  by  Conter- 
no's  Ninth  Regiment  Band,  of  New  York  City.  The 
choruses  were  sung  by  the  Cleveland  Vocal  Society,  and 
the  militarv  maneuvers  were  executed  by  a  company  of 
the  local  organizations. 

Founder's  Dav  was,  indeed,  celebrated  in  a  manner 
which  showed  that  Cleveland  was  awake  to  the  require- 
ments of  the  occasion.  When  the  minute-hand  marked 
the  hour  of  twelve,  and  Wednesday,  July  22,  1896,  stood 
upon  the  threshold  of  recorded  time,  the  guns  of  the 
Light  Artillery  boomed  forth  their  thunders,  as  a  sign  that 
the  first  hundred  years  of  Cleveland's  existence  had  been 
completed.  Sunrise  heard  a  national  salute,  and  al- 
though the  day  gave  little  promise  of  good  weather,  the 
people  universally  made  holiday. 

The  chief  event  of  the  summer  was  set  for  9.30  a.  m. 
of  this  anniversary  day.  Central  Armory  was  again 
thrown   open  to  a  great  throng.      Exercises  had  been  ar- 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND.  jjj 


ranged  for  a  joint  mass  meeting,  in  which  Old  Connecticut 
and  New  Connecticut  should  together  celebrate  the  anni- 
versary of  an  event  of  iinportance  in  the  annals  of  both. 
The  chief  magistrates  of  both  Connecticut  and  Ohio  were 
present,  accompanied  by  other  honored  scnis  of  the  two 
States. 

It  was  near  the  stroke  of  ten,  when  H.  R.  Hatch,  of  the 
Centennial  Commission,  came  upon  the  stage,  accompanied 
by  Joseph  R.  Hawley,  United  States  Senator  from  Connect- 
icut, the  principal  orator  of  the  day.  Then  came  ^layor 
McKisson,  Director-General  Day,  and  James  H.  Hovt,  the 
chairman  of  the  day;  Asa  S.  Bushnell,  governor  of  Ohio, 
and  O.  Vincent  Coffin,  governor  of  Connecticut;  William 
McKinley,  ex-governor  of  Ohio,  and  Republican  nominee 
for  President  of  the  United  States;  John  Sherman,  United 
States  Senator  from  Ohio;  Richard  C.  Parsons,  ex-Govern- 
or Merriam,  of  Minnesota,  and  other  gentlemen  who  had 
been  invited  to  seats  of  honor  upon  the  platform. 

When  the  applause  which  greeted  these  distinguished 
gentlemen  had  subsided,  Ma3^or  McKisson,  president  of 
the  Centennial  Commission,  called  the  gathering  to  order, 
and  in  a  short  and  appropriate  speech  welcomed  those 
who  were  present  as  the  guests  of  Cleveland  upon  this 
occasion:  "To  formally  open  this  patriotic  celebration," 
said  he,  ''and  w^elcome  to  our  beautiful  city  our  distin- 
guished guests,  is  a  great  honor.  I  speak  the  pride  of  our 
citizens  when  I  greet  you  to-day,  and  extend  to  you  our  hos- 
pitality and  our  fraternal  hand  of  fellowship.  To  all  of 
our  guests,  whether  from  the  East  or  the  West,  from  far  or 
near,  we  dedicate  this  day,  our  city,  and  all  it  has  or  is." 

James  H.  Hoyt  w^as  introduced  as  chairman  of  the  day. 
As  a  preface  to  his  remarks,  he  read  the  following  mes- 
sage from  the  President  of  the  United  vStates,  which  was 
received  with  great  applause  : 

"  Buzzard's  Bav,  July  22,  iSg6. 
"Wilson  M.  Day,  Director-General:     I  congratulate  the  City  of  Cleve- 
land upon  the  close  of  her  first  century,  with  the  wish  that  it  is  but  the 

beginning  of  her  greatness  and  prosperity. 

"  Grover  Cleveland." 


5j6  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


Mr.  Hoyt's  speech  was  eloquent,  and  breathed  a  spirit 
of  appreciation  of  the  labors  performed  by  the  founders 
of  Cleveland,  and  of  the  responsibilities  of  the  present  in 
connection  with  the  fruits  of  the  future.  Said  he:  "When 
Moses  Cleaveland  and  his  companions  made  their  memor- 
able landing-,  they  could  not  have  realized,  even  in  small 
measure,  what  that  landing  meant.  The  silent  forests  did 
not  prophesy,  and  the  placid  river  gave  no  sign.  Their 
present  was  perilous,  and  their  future  was  uncertain. 
Yet.  a  short  century  after,  and  a  city  with  a  population 
of  more  than  a  third  of  a  million ;  a  citv  whose  commerce 
reaches  distant  climes,  and  whose  vessels  plow  distant 
waters;  a  city  of  wealth,  of  refinement,  of  enterprise, 
stands  now  Avhere  its  sturdy  pioneers  then  stood. 
They  labored  for  others,  and  not  for  themselves.  Theirs 
was  the  toil  and  suffering,  and  ours  is  the  goodly  herit- 
age. Theirs  was  the  privation  and  danger,  and  ours  is 
the  comfort  and  peace.  They  planted,  that  we  might 
reap.  The  pioneers  sacrified  much  for  us.  Let  us,  in 
turn,  sacrifice  something  for  those  who  shall  come  after 
us.  On  this  Founder's  Day,  let  us  pledge  ourselves 
anew  to  guard  the  trusts  thev  have  committed  to  our 
keeping. 

The  divine  blessing  upon  the  occasion  was  then  invoked 
by  the  Rev.  Charles  S.  Mills.  Senator  Hawley  was  in- 
troduced, and  delivered  the  main  address  of  the  day.  His 
oration  was  largely  historical  in  character,  dealing  with 
the  settlement  of  New  Connecticut,  and  making  special 
extended  mention  of  the  descendants  of  Connecticut,  who 
had  made  their  mark  in  connection  with  the  history  of 
Ohio.  He  followed  General  Cleaveland  and  his  party 
into  the  wilderness,  and  summarized  their  labors  and  the 
results  that  have  come  therefrom.  He  then  passed  to  a 
discussion  of  the  questions  that  are  demanding  considera- 
tion and  solution  in  the  present,  and  in  an  able  and 
thoughtful  manner  suggested  the  course  of  patriotism  in 
connection  therewith, 

John  J.  Piatt,  the  poet,  then  read  the  Centennial  ode, 


THE  HIS  TOR  V  OF  CLE  VELA  ND.  S37 

which  the  Commission  had  invited  him  to  prepare  for  the 
occasion.      It  was  a  song  of  praise  — 

' '  Praise  to  the  sower  of  the  seed, 

The  planter  of  the  tree — 
What  though  another  for  the  harvest  gold 

The  ready  sickle  hold, 
Or  breathe  the  blossom,  watch  the  fruit  unfold  ? 

Enough  for  him,  indeed, 
That  he  should  plant  the  tree,  should  sow  the  seed, 
And  earn  the  reaper's  guerdon,  even  if  he 

Should  not  the  reaper  be. ' ' 

The  next  speaker  was  O.  Vincent  Coffin,  governor  of 
Connecticut,  who  had  come  for  the  purpose  of  bearing  the 
greetings  of  the  parent  commonwealth  to  this  lusty  off- 
spring in  the  West.  He  paid  a  just  tribute  to  the  State  of 
which  he  was  the  official  head,  and  fittingly  said:  "  It  is 
desired  that  I  suggest  soine  thoughts,  here  in  New  Con- 
necticut, about  the  little  State  down  by  the  sea,  which  I 
have  the  honor  in  part  to  represent,  and  which  may  well 
be  designated  as  mother  of  states.  In  the  early  days,  it 
has  been  claimed  Connecticut  held  by  grant  a  wide  sec- 
tion, extending  westerly  to  the  ocean.  Portions  of  this 
section  now  form  parts  of  at  least  thirteen  different  States. 
But  Connecticut  gave  up  nearly  all  this  territory,  reserv- 
ing here  in  Ohio  the  large  tract  known  as  the  Western 
Reserve.  Here,  where  we  are  met,  her  people  prepared 
the  ground  for  a  great  city,  which  is  now  set  as  the  most 
beautiful  of  gems  in  the  crown  of  your  queenly  common- 
wealth. Our  pride  in  our  own  State  mounts  rapidly  as 
we  contemplate  her  splendid  daughter,  and  remember 
what  glory  of  motherhood  is  hers." 

It  was  at  the  conclusion  of  Governor  Coffin's  speech 
that  Chairman  Hoyt  suspended  the  formal  order  of  exer- 
cises, to  permit  J.  G.  W.  Cowles  to  make  announcement 
of  the  magnificent  additions  to  Cleveland's  park  system, 
which  had  come  through  the  generosity  of  John  D.  Rock- 
efeller. The  details  of  that  orift  have  been  related  in  a 
previous  chapter.  It  is  only  necessary  to  say  here  that 
all  the  negotiations  and  other  steps  that  led  to  this  gift, 


S38  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

had  been  conducted  with  such  secrecy  that  no  inkling  had 
come  to  the  people  until  this  moment  of  the  good  fortune 
that  was  to  be  a  part  of  Founder's  Day.  The  burst  of  ap- 
plause with  which  the  announcement  was  received,  was 
significant  evidence  of  the  appreciative  gratitude  of  the 
people. 

At  the  conclusion  of  Mr.  Cowles's  address,  L.  E.  Holden 
offered  a  resolution  of  thanks  and  acceptance,  coupled 
with  a  request  that  Mr.  Rockefeller  periuit  the  new  park 
to  bear  his  name.  The  people  arose,  as  one,  in  adoption 
of  the  resolution. 

The  official  programme  was  then  resumed.  Asa  S. 
Bushnell,  governor  of  Ohio,  was  introduced,  and,  in  behalf 
of  the  State,  welcomed  the  Governor  of  Connecticut  and 
the  other  distinguished  guests.  "  To  the  entire  State, 
from  this  Forest  City  on  the  lake,"  said  he,  "this  Clyde 
of  the  United  States,  to  the  beautiful  Queen  City  on  the 
southern  borders  of  the  State,  and  from  old  Marietta, 
w^here  an  Ohio  community  was  established  by  forty-eight 
Connecticut  men,  to  Conneaut,  where  Moses  Cleaveland 
first  landed,  the  State  is  yours.  In  the  name  of  all  the 
people  of  Ohio,  I  extend  you  a  most  cordial  welcome." 

At  the  conclusion  of  this  address,  William  McKinley 
was  introduced,  and  was  received  with  long  and  enthusi- 
astic applause.  The  esteem  in  which  he  was  held  as  a 
neighbor  and  friend,  the  admiration  for  his  career  as  a 
soldier  and  a  statesman,  and  the  fact  that  he  was  then  a 
candidate  for  President  of  the  United  States,  served  to 
make  him  the  central  figure  of  the  occasion,  and  caused 
the  people  to  be  demonstrative  in  their  welcome.  When 
■quiet  had  been  restored,  Major  McKinley  delivered  a 
brief  but  thoughtful  speech,  extolling  the  character  of  the 
pioneer,  and  pointing  out  his  fortitude,  his  love  of  liberty, 
and  the  many  sterling  qualities  that  made  him  what  he 
was.  He  spoke  of  Cleveland  and  her  achievements  in  a 
strain  of  high  appreciation.  "To-day  the  present  genera- 
tion pays  its  homage  to  Cleveland's  founders,"  said  he, 
'^'  and  offers  a  generous   and    unqualified    testimonial   to 


THE  HIS  TORY  OF  CLE  VELA  ND.  jjg 

their  wisdom  and  work.  The  statistics  of  the  population 
of  Cleveland,  her  growth,  production,  and  wealth,  do  not, 
and  cannot,  tell  the  story  of  her  greatness.  We  have 
been  listening  to  the  interesting  and  eloquent  words  of 
historian,  poet,  and  orator,  graphically  describing  her  rise 
from  obscurity  to  prominence.  They  have  woven  into  a 
perfect  narrative  the  truthful,  yet  established,  record  of  her 
advancement,  from  an  unknown  frontier  settlement,  in 
the  western  wilderness,  to  the  proud  rank  of  eleventh  city 
in  the  greatest  country  • —  America  —  the  grandest  country 
in  the  world.  We  have  heard,  Avith  just  pride,  how  mar- 
velous has  been  her  progress;  that  among  the  greatest 
cities  of  the  earth,  but  sixty-two  now  outrank  Cleveland 
in  population.  Her  life  is  as  one  century  to  twenty,  with 
some  of  that  number.  Yet  her  civilization  is  as  far  ad- 
vanced as  the  proudest  metropolis  in  the  world.  In  point 
of  government,  education,  morals,  business  thrift,  and 
enterprise,  Cleveland  may  well  claim  recognition  with 
the  foremost,  and  is  fairly  entitled  to  the  warmest  con- 
gratulations and  highest  eulogy  on  this  her  centenary 
day.  Nor  will  any  envy  her  people  a  season  of  self-con- 
gratulation and  rejoicing.  You  inaugurate,  to-day,  a 
Centennial  celebration  in  honor  of  your  illustrious  past, 
and  its  beginning  is,  with  singular  appropriateness,  called 
Founder's  Day.  We  have  heard,  with  interest,  the  enu- 
meration of  the  commercial  importance  of  this  city,  a 
port  on  a  chain  of  lakes,  whose  tonnage  and  commerce 
surpasses  that  on  any  other  sea  or  ocean  on  the  globe. 
We  realize  the  excellence  and  superiority  of  the  great 
railroad  systems  which  touch  the  center  of  this  city.  W^e 
marvel  at  the  volume  and  variety  of  your  numerous 
manufactories,  and  see  about  us,  on  every  hand,  the 
pleasant  evidences  of  your  comfort  and  culture ;  not  only 
in  the  hospitable  homes,  but  in  your  churches,  schools, 
charities,  factories,  business  houses;  your  various  streets 
and  viaducts,  public  parks,  statues  and  monuments  —  in- 
deed, in  your  conveniences,  adornments  and  improvements 
of  every  sort,  we  behold  all  the  advantages  and  blessings 


540 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


of  the  model  modern  city,  worthy  to  be  both  the  pride  of 
a  great  city  and  a  still  greater  nation !  ' ' 

Hon.  John  Sherman,  the  senior  senator  from  Ohio' — 
himself  not  only  a  son  of  Ohio,  but  a  descendant  from 
Connecticut  parentage  —  followed  Major  McKinley.  The 
applause  which  he  received  was  not  merely  a  tribute  to  a 
tried  and  true  statesman,  but  also  a  recognition  of  the 


THE    HOLLENDEN    HOTEL. 


personal  respect  in  which  he  was  held  by  the  people  he 
had  represented  for  so  many  years.  He  spoke  of  Cleve- 
land as  a  city  of  workshops  and  factories.  ''  We  must 
never  lose  sight  of  the  fact,"  he  continued,  "that  it  is  the 
workingmen  who  develop  the  resources  and  beautify  the 
streets  and  avenues  of  a  great  city.  Men,  not  only  men 
who  work  daily  with  their  hands,  but  those  who  work  in 


THE  HIS  TOR  Y  OF  CLE  VELA  ND.  5^/ 

their  early  lives,  and  at  last  make  gifts  to  the  community 
of  magnificent  public  parkways,  may  be  included  in  this 
category. " 

Miles  Preston,  the  mayor  of  Hartford,  Conn.,  was  then 
introduced,  but  contented  himself  with  briefly  extending 
the  greeting  of  the  people  of  his  city  to  those  of  the  City 
of  Cleveland.  A  benediction  was  pronounced  by  the  Rev. 
Samuel  P.  Sprecher,  and  the  formal  exercises  of  Found- 
er's Day  came  to  an  end.  During  these,  selections  had 
been  sung  by  the  Cleveland  Vocal  Society,  the  audience 
joining  their  voices  in  those  of  a  patriotic  character. 

In  the  afternoon,  came  the  parade  of  military  and  uni- 
formed civic  organizations.  It  was  witnessed  by  an  im- 
mense concourse  of  people,  and  was  in  itself,  perhaps,  the 
greatest  military  and  civic  display  seen  by  Cleveland  in 
her  century  of  existence.  A  reviewing  stand,  on  Superior 
street,  in  front  of  the  City  Hall,  with  a  capacity  of  nearly 
five  hundred,  was  filled  with  prominent  citizens  and  dis- 
tinguished guests,  among  whom  were  Major  McKinley, 
Governors  Coffin,  Bushnell,  and  Merriam,  and  Senators 
Sherman  and  Hawley.  These  gentlemen,  with  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Centennial  Commission,  municipal  officers, 
and  officers  of  the  Chamber  of  Coinmerce,  rode  in  car- 
riages in  the  van  of  the  procession,  until  the  stand  was 
reached,  when  they  alighted  and  reviewed  the  long  line 
as  it  passed  before  them. 

The  forenoon  had  been  discouraging,  with  a  drizzle  of 
rain  that  promised  no  cessation,  but  just  as  the  parade 
was  forming,  the  clouds  parted,  and  the  sun  came  forth. 
The  city  had  made  gala  day,  and  the  decorations  in  sight 
in  all  directions  were  outward  symbols  of  that  fact. 

The  right  of  the  procession  was  on  Lake  street,  near 
Water  street,  and  the  various  divisions  formed  on  the  in- 
tersecting streets,  as  far  east  as  Erie  street  and  Payne 
avenue.  The  forward  movement  occurred  a  few  minutes 
before  three  o'clock.  The  line  of  march  was  from  Lake 
street  to  Water  street,  to  vSuperior  street,  to  the  east  side 
of   the    Public    Square,    to    Euclid    avenue,    to    Brownell 


542 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


street,  to  Prospect  street,  to  Kennard  street,  to  Euclid 
avenue,  to  Erie  street,  to  vSuperior  street,  where  it  passed 
in  review,  and  dismissed  after  passing  under  the  Centen- 
nial Arch. 

Col.  J.  y.  vSullivan,  chief  marshal,  rode  at  the  head  of 
the  line,  accompanied  by  a  mounted  staff.  The  Ninth 
New  York   Regiment  Band,  and  Troop  A,  Ohio  National 


3^^tt3rf,i,-3ge^-^    ,-ffiit 


r  ^  3 !« S  y  i^  ifi  S  ilfiifci«-^ 


"N 


~„X  ■« 


CUYAHOGA    ]iUILDING. 


Guard,  came  next,  as  an  escort  to  the  carriages  containing 
the  Centennial  officials  and  the  guests.  It  is  not  possible, 
in  the  space  here  permitted,  to  attempt  an  enumeration 
of  the  scores  and  scores  of  organizations,  military  and 
civic,  that  made  up  this  great  procession.  Among  thein 
were  the  local  military  of  Cleveland,  regiments  of  the 
Ohio  National  Guard,  bodies  of  the  United  States  Regu- 


THE  HISTOR  V  OF  CLE  V ELAND.  S4S 

lars,  Knights  of  St.  John,  Odd  Fellows,  Knights  of  Pyth- 
ias, Veteran  Volunteer  Fire  Department,  Cleveland 
Fire  Department,  Cleveland  Letter  Carriers'  Association, 
Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  etc. ,  etc.  As  was  said  of  this 
parade  by  a  chronicler^  in  the  local  press,  "  There  were 
inore  military  organizations  in  the  column  than  ever  trod 
the  streets  of  Cleveland  at  one  time,  on  a  gala  occasion. 
There  was  an  army  of  armed  men,  representing  all 
branches  of  land  service,  of  sufficient  size  to  repulse  an 
enormous  force,  if  called  into  active  duty.  There  were 
many  representative  men  in  line, — men  who  have  been  the 
bone  and  sinew  of  Cleveland,  and  who  have  been  respon- 
sible for  the  wonderful  progress  which  all  Cleveland 
turned  out  to  celebrate.  There  were  men  of  national 
fame;  those  who  have  been  identified  with  this  nation's 
prosperity  for  a  score  of  years  or  more.  There  were  rep- 
resentatives of  the  vState  that  gave  the  first  settlers  to  the 
Western  Reserve,  and  which  have  ever  shown  a  sort  of 
paternalism  for  Northern  Ohio,  It  was,  perhaps,  the 
most  representative  parade  that  was  ever  seen  in  Cleve- 
land." 

At  5.30  p.  m.,  the  guns  again  boomed  forth  the  national 
salute.  Long  before  darkness  fell,  great  multitudes  filled 
the  streets,  not  only  in  the  lower  portions  of  the  city,  but 
also  all  along  the  line  of  march  of  the  historical  pageant 
that  w^as  to  be  the  main  feature  of  the  evening. 

The  Centennial  Arch,  that  had  been  erected  on  the 
Public  Square,  with  the  log-cabin  on  the  one  hand,  and 
the  vSoldiers'  Monument  on  the  other,  was  ready  to  burst 
into  a  blaze  of  light,  when  the  chief  magistrate  of  the 
nation  should  give  the  signal,  in  his  far-away  home. 
This  imposing  structure  had  been  planned  with  due  care 
to  architecture,  and  presented  a  pleasing  attraction  to  the 
eye,  even  before  the  lights  were  made  a  part  of  its  adorn- 
ment. 

At  8.15,  President  Cleveland  touched  the  electric  button, 
in  his  home  at   Buzzard's  Bay,  and  the  arch  burst  into  a 

^^  "  Cleveland  Leader,"  July  23,  1S96. 


544  THE  HISTOR  V  OF  CLE V ELAND. 

flame  of  light,  amid  the  cheers  of  the  watching  thousands. 

All  eyes  were  then  turned  in  the  direction  of  the  his- 
torical pageant,  "  The  Passing  of  the  Century,"  which 
had  been  arranged  with  such  expense  and  care.  The  line 
of  march  was  from  the  corner  of  Seneca  and  Superior 
streets  to  Erie  street,  to  Euclid  avenue,  to  Kennard  street, 
to  Prospect  street,  to  Case  avenue,  to  Central  avenue,  to 
Brownell  street,  lo  Prospect  street,  to  Bolivar  street,  to 
the  Grays'  Armory. 

Mounted  police  headed  the  line,  followed  by  George 
W.  Kinney,  grand  master  of  ceremonies,  and  staff,  aides- 
de-camp,  trumpeters,  heralds,  bands,  and  then  the 
floats  —  twenty-four  in  all.  These  were,  in  the  order  of 
march  here  named,  "  Progress,"  "  Cleveland  of  1796," 
' '  Sunday, "  "  Monday, "  "  Tuesday, "  "  Wednesday, ' ' 
"Thursday,"  "Friday,"  "Saturday,"  "January,"  "Feb- 
ruary," "March,"  "April,"  "May,"  "June,"  "July," 
"August,"  "  vSeptember, "  "October,"  "November," 
"December,"  "  The  Year,"  "  Passing  of  the  Century," 
"  Cleveland  of  1896." 

The  floats  symbolical  of  the  days  and  months  were,  in 
subject,  taken  largely  from  mythology,  and  showed  a 
thorough  knowledge  of  the  subject,  and  artistic  execution. 
The  "  Passing  of  the  Century"  showed  Father  Time  on 
the  back  of  a  huge  bird.  In  "Cleveland  in  1796,"  an  In- 
dian tent  was  seen  near  the  banks  of  the  Cuyahoga  River, 
while  in  front  of  it  Moses  Cleaveland  was  shown  in  the 
act  of  running  the  first  line  of  the  city.  Other  pioneers, 
with  axe  and  spade,  were  preparing  for  the  first  settlement. 
"  Cleveland  in  1896,"  by  appropriate  symbols,  repre- 
sented commerce,  art,  and  all  the  industries,  while  at  the 
rear  stood  a  large  dome,  surmounted  by  an  eagle. 

The  exercises  of  this  memorable  Founder's  Day  ended 
with  a  grand  Centennial  reception  and  ball  ^''  at  the  Grays' 

^"  ' '  Yesterday  was  a  daj-  never  to  be  forgotten  in  the  history  of  Cleve- 
land. It  was  a  fitting  celebration  of  the  hundredth  anniversary  of  the 
founding  of  a  town,  destined  to  become  one  of  the  greatest  cities  of  the 
Republic.  There  is  cause  for  universal  rejoicing  that  the  celebration  has 
been  so  auspiciously  opened." — "  Cleveland  Plain  Dealer,"  July  23,  1896. 


THE  HISTOR  V  OF  CLE  VELA  ND.  343 

Armory,  which  was  one  of  the  most  successful  ever  wit- 
nessed in  Cleveland. 

The  strains  of  the  music  in  the  Armory  had  hardly  died 
away  before  the  patriotic  sons  and  daughters  of  Connecti- 
cut, of  Rhode  Island,  of  Massachusetts,  were  engaged  in 
preparations  for  New  England  Day,  as  this  23rd  of  July 
had  been  officially  designated. 

The  chief  event  was  the  New  England  dinner,  spread  on 
the  campus  of  Adelbert  College,  and  given  under  the  au- 
spices of  the  New  England  Society  of  Cleveland  and  the 
Western  Reserve.  Two  large  tents  had  been  spread,  and 
beneath  them,  at  12.30  p.  m.,  gathered  some  five  hundred 
guests,  among  whom  were  Senator  Hawley,  Senator  Sher- 
man, Major  McKinley,  Governor  Bushnell,  and  many  of 
the  Ohio  editors,  who  were  the  city's  guests  on  that  day. 
The  food  was  placed  upon  long  tables,  each  guest  serving 
his  neighbor  and  himself.  From  the  bean  porridge  to 
the  Vermont  turkey,  it  w^as  supposed  to  represent  the  fare 
of  New  England  in  the  early  days.  Dinner  over,  N.  B. 
Sherwin,  president  of  the  New  England  Society,  called 
the  assemblage  to  order,  and  introduced  Senator  Hawley 
as  the  first  speaker.  He  responded  in  a  brief  address,,  the 
central  thought  of  which  was  that  the  Puritan  had  an  idea 
that  God  had  put  him  into  the  world  to  do  a  certain  work, 
and  that  idea  made  him  an  earnest,  persevering  man,  who 
accomplished  much  in  his  pursuit  of  an  ideal  State  that 
should  stand  for  religion  and  free  grovernment. 

Brief  speeches  were  also  made  by  Senator  Sherman, 
Governor  Bushnell,  Major  McKinley,  A.  Kennedy  Child, 
of  the  Hartford  (Conn.)  Board  of  Aldermen,  and  John  T. 
Mack,  president  of  the  Association  of  Ohio  Dailies.  All 
these  addresses  were  brief,  to  the  point,  and  filled  with 
tributes  to  New  England,  and  this  newer  New  England 
of  the  West. 

The  programme  arranged  for  the  entertainment  of  the 
Ohio  editors  was  fully  carried  out.  There  was  an  early 
meeting  at  the  Hollenden  Hotel,  a  trip  on  the  lake  in  the 
steamer  "  City  of   Buffalo,"  a  trolley  ride  over  the  prin- 


S46  THE  HISTOR  Y  OF  CLE  V ELAND. 

cipal  lines,  the  dinner  under  the  tents  on  Adelbert  cam- 
pus, a  tally-ho  ride  through  Wade  and  Gordon  parks,  and 
a  lunch  and  reception  at  the  Artemus  Ward  Club. 

The  Euclid  Avenue  Opera  House  was  filled,  in  the  even- 
ing, by  a  brilliant  audience  assembled  to  witness  the  first 
presentation  of  the  Centennial  opera,  "  From  Moses  to 
McKisson,"  by  the  Gatling  Gun  Battery.  The  opera 
was  voted  a  great  success,  both  in  its  subject-matter  and 
in  the  manner  in  which  it  was  presented. 

The  next  day  that  was  formally  given  over  to  Centen- 
nial holiday-making  was  Monday,  July  27th,  w^hen  the 
great  bicycle  parade  occurred.  It  w^as  an  event  that 
would  have  been  difficult  to  describe  to  the  Clevelanders 
of  a  hundred  years  ago.  No  witness  of  these  brilliant 
and  rapidly-moving  columns  that  wheeled  along  the 
streets  of  the  city  could  fail  to  ponder  the  fact  that  this 
was  a  sight  possible  only  in  the  closing  days  of  the  nine- 
teenth century  —  a  wonderful  triumph  of  modern  mechan- 
ical skill. 

There  were  nine  divisions  in  all.  The  line  formed  in 
Wade  Park,  at  2  p.  m.,  and  moved  over  the  following 
streets  and  avenues:  Euclid,  Bolton,  East  Prospect, 
Sibley,  Kennard,  Euclid,  the  Public  Square,  Superior, 
Erie,  Chestnut,  Dodge,  Euclid  to  the  east  of  Willson, 
and  there  disbanded. 

"Not  since  the  Centennial  ceremonies  began,"  says  one 
local  chronicler, ^^  "has  there  been  such  a  turn-out  of 
people  as  filled  the  eight  miles  of  parade  route  in  Cleve- 
land yesterday.  The  military  had  their  thousands,  but 
the  wheelmen  had  their  tens  of  thousands  of  admirers." 
The  story  of  this  parade  cannot  be  better  told  than  in  the 
graphic  language  of  this  witness:  "What  a  unique  parade 
it  was !  No  such  kaleidoscope  of  color  has  filled  Cleve- 
land's streets  in  many  a  day.  The  nations  of  the  earth 
were  represented.  Gaily  decorated  yachts,  with  colors 
flying  from  every  mast  and  stay,  glided  down  the  open 
stream,  their  sails   filling   with   gentle   breezes,    that   set 

^^  "  Cleveland  Plain  Dealer,"  July  2S,  1896. 


THE  HISTOR  Y  OF  CLEVELAND.  S47 

their  flags  fluttering.  Butterflies  of  gaudy  hue  skimmed 
silently  over  the  pavement.  Frogs  with  goggle  eyes,  In- 
dians in  war  paint,  Arabs  in  scarlet  fezes,  white  troops  of 
sweet  girl  graduates,  Romeos  in  doublets  and  trunks, 
Topsys  and  Sambos,  almond-eyed  Japs,  Uncle  Sams  of  all 
ages,  and  Goddesses  of  Liberty  without  number,  flitted 
past,  until  the  spectators  grew  dizzy  watching  the  con- 
stantly revolving  wdieels." 

The  line  was  headed  by  a  platoon  of  police  on  wheels, 
and  just  behind  came  Grand  Marshal  Carlos  M.  Stone,  and 
J.  E.  Cheesman,  chief  of  staff.  A  reviewing  stand  on 
Superior  street  Avas  occupied  by  Major  McKinley,  Direct- 
or-General Day,  Adjutant-General  H.  A.  Axline,  and  other 
prominent  gentlemen. 

The  exercises  of  Woman's  Day,  Tuesday,  July  28th. 
furnished  convincing  evidence  that  the  women  of  Cleve- 
land, and  of  the  Western  Reserve,  had  most  nobly  and  ably 
fulfilled  the  trust  committed  to  their  hands.  At  8.30  a. 
m.,  a  committee  of  ladies  rode  to  the  Public  Square  and 
wreathed  the  bronze  Moses  Cleaveland  with  flowers. 

At  9  a.  m.,  the  formal  exercises  in  Central  Armory 
commenced,  with  Mrs.  Mary  B.  Ingham,  president  of  the 
Woman's  Department  of  the  Centennial  Commission,  pre- 
siding. Only  the  briefest  mention  of  the  good  and  brilliant 
things  that  were  there  provided  is  possible  here.  Rev» 
S.  P.  Sprecher  offered  prayer,  after  which  W^ilson  M. 
Day,  director-general,  made  the  opening  address. 
"  Through  good  and  evil  report,"  said  he,  "  the  women 
have  stood  by  this  Centennial.  The  Centennial  Commis- 
sion owes  an  inextinguishable  debt  of  gratitude  to  the 
women  of  Cleveland  for  their  patriotic  and  self-sacrificing 
efforts  in  behalf  of  this  celebration.  Prompt  to  answer  to 
the  call  for  assistance,  ready  in  suggestion  and  execution, 
undismayed  by  obstacles  often  most  disheartening,  intel- 
ligent and  comprehensive  in  planning,  loyal  to  every  re- 
quest of  the  Commission,  yet  absolutely  independent  of 
any  assistance,  they  have  done  so  well  that  we  could  not 
wish  it  better." 


^48  THE  HIS  TOR  Y  OF  CLE  VELA  ND. 

Mrs.  James  A.  Garfield,  honorary  chairman  of  the  de- 
partment, presented  Mrs.  Ingham  as  president  of  the  day. 
Amon tr  the  exercises  that  occurred,  from  that  time  until 
adjournment,  at  4.15  p.  m.,  the  following  must  be  men- 
tioned :  The  department  of  philanthropy  was  considered 
for  an  hour,  under  the  leadership  of  Mrs.  Dan  P.  Eells. 
Mrs.  F.  A.  Arter  read  a  paper  on  the  Young  Women's  Chris- 
tian Association ;  other  papers  on  other  lines  of  benevolent 
work  were  read  by  Mrs.  L.  A.  Russell,  Mrs.  M.  B. 
Schwab,  Mrs.  E.  J.  Blandin,  Mrs.  Ellen  J.  Phinney,  and 
Mrs.  vSarah  M.  Perkins.  Miss  Linda  T.  Guilford  presided 
during  the  hour  devoted  to  household  economics,  and  an 
address  on  "A  Stronger  Home"  was  made  by  Mrs.  Helen 
Campbell. 

From  12  m.  to  1.30  p.  m.,  a  reception  was  held  and 
luncheon  served  to  the  township  historians,  and  other 
visitors.  The  first  hour  of  the  afternoon  was  given  to 
"Woman's  Clubs,"  Mrs.  Elroy  M.  Avery  presiding.  A 
pleasing  address  of  congratulation  and  commendation  was 
made  by  Mayor  Robert  E.  McKisson.  J.  G.  W.  Cowles, 
president  of  the  Cleveland  Chamber  of  Commerce,  also 
delivered  a  brief  address.  Mrs.  Benjamin  F.  Taylor  read 
an  able  paper  on  "Women's  Clubs."  Miss  Hannah  Fos- 
ter, author  of  the  Centennial  Ode  of  the  woman's  section, 
was  next  introduced,  and  read  an  extended  poem  of  rare 
force  and  power,  the  key-note  of  which  was  found  in 
these  opening  lines : 

"  Rose,  flourished  long,  grew  old,  then  fell  asleep. 
The  hundred-gated  city  of  the  Nile ; 
But  not  of  her,  deep  sepulchered,  the  while 
Forgotten  centuries  her  records  keep ; 
Nor  Venice,  smiling  still  with  studied  grace. 
Into  the  mirror  that  reflects  her  face ; 
Nor  once  imperial  Rome,  whose  name  and  fame 
So  ruled  the  world;  old  pomp,  and  power,  and  pride — 
Not  those  to-day !     With  warmer,  quicker  tide 
Our  pulses  thrill !     On  sacred  altars  flame 
Pure  patriot  fires  of  love  and  loyalty, 
While  ready  hands  the  Stars  and  Stripes  outfling 
And  '  Cleveland,'  past  and  present,  and  to  be, 
'  Aye,  '  Greater  Cleveland, '  her  proud  sons  and  daughters  smg ! ' ' 


THE  HIS  TOR  Y  OF  CLE  VELA  ND.  j^9 

The  second  hour  of  the  afternoon  was  given  up  to  the 
subject  of  education,  Mrs.  Lydia  Hoyt  Farmer  presiding. 
A  paper  on  "  Domestic  Effects  of  the  Higher  Education 
of  Women"  was  read  by  Mrs.  May  Wright  Sewall. 
Mrs.  Caroline  Baldwin  Babcock  presided  during  the  final 
hour,  which  was  devoted  to  pioneer  topics.  Mrs.  Harriet 
Taylor  Upton  spoke  on  "Our  Ancestors,  the  Heroes  and 
Heroines  of  the  Western  Reserve;"  Mrs.  R.  H.  Wriofht 
on  "Are  we  worthy  of  our  Ancestors?"  and  Mrs.  Kate 
Brownlee  Sherwood  on  "Looking  Forward." 

After  a  few  remarks  by  the  venerable  Truman  P. 
Handy,  and  the  offering  of  the  Lord's  Prayer  by  the  en- 
tire audience,  the  afternoon  exercises  came  to  an  end. 
From  5.30  to  6.30  p.  m.,  there  was  a  reception  in  the 
Grays'  Armory.  Mrs.  M.  A.  Hanna,  chairman  of  the  re- 
ception committee,  was  assisted  in  receiving  by  Governor 
and  Mrs.  Bushnell,  Major  and  Mrs.  McKinley,  and  other 
prominent  ladies  and  gentlemen.  The  reception  was  fol- 
lowed by  a  banquet,  spread  in  the  great  drill  room, 
where  thirty-two  tables,  exquisitely  appointed  and  rich- 
ly laden,  were  set  for  the  accommodation  of  six  hundred 
guests. 

At  7.00  p.  m.,  when  the  guests  were  seated,  Mrs.  W, 
A.  Ingham  brought  down  the  gavel,  and  introduced  Mrs. 
W.  G.  Rose,  chairman  of  the  banquet  committee,  who 
welcomed  the  company  in  an  eloquent  address.  Mrs. 
Sarah  E.  Bierce,  chairman  of  the  Woman's  Day  Com- 
mittee, and  toast-mistress  of  the  evening,  in  a  charming- 
ly-worded address,  assumed  her  duties.  Rev.  H.  M, 
Ladd  said  grace,  and,  to  the  music  of  the  Schubert 
Mandolin  Club,  the  menu  was  discussed.  When  this 
portion  of  the  programme  had  been  completed,  Mayor 
McKisson  welcomed  the  guests,  in  behalf  of  the  city, 
and  congratulated  the  women  of  the  Western  Reserve 
upon  the  great  work  they  had  accomplished.  Governor 
Bushnell  spoke  in  response  to  the  toast,  "The  State;" 
Mrs.  T.  K.  Dissette  spoke  on  "Auld  Lang  Syne;"  Mrs. 
May  Wright  Sewall,   on  "  The  Present  Situation;"   Mrs. 


jjo  THE  HISTOR  Y  OF  CLE  VELA ND. 

N.  Coe  Stewart,  on  ' '  The  Wheel  of  the  Past :  the  Wheel 
of  the  Present;"  Mrs.  Annette  Phelps  Lincoln,  on  "  Ohio 
Federation  of  Woman's  Clubs;"  Rabbi  Moses  J.  Gries, 
on  "  Home;"  Mrs.  Helen  Campbell,  on  "  Prisoners  of 
Poverty:  Prisoners  of  Hope;"  Mrs.  J.  C.  Croh'  (Jennie 
June),  on  "  The  Future  Citizens;"  and  'Mr.  W.  F.  Carr, 
•on  ' '  The  Reserve  Force  of  the  Western  Reserve  —  the 
Women. ' '  A  few  happy  remarks  on  ' '  Those  Royal  Good 
Fellows,  the  Men,"  were  then  made  by  Mrs.  A.  H. 
Tuttle,  after  which  Mrs.  Elroy  M.  Avery  arose  and  said: 
"  Women  began  the  day  by  hanging  on  the  outstretched 
-arm  of  Moses  Cleaveland  a  wreath  of  flowers,  in  token  of 
honor  and  respect.  He  was  a  man.  We  end  the  day  by 
presenting  to  the  representative  of  the  Centennial  Com- 
mission a  basket  of  flowers,  as  a  token  of  honor  and  re- 
spect to  the  men  of  Cleveland."  With  this,  Mrs.  Avery 
handed  to  Director-General  Day  a  basket  of  magnificent 
roses.     This  ended  the  exercises  of  the  evening. 

Wednesday,  July  29th,  was  set  aside  as  Early  Settlers' 
Day,  and  was  mainly  devoted  to  the  exercises  conducted 
by  the  Early  Settlers'  Association  of  Cuyahoga  County. 
At  9.30  a.  m.,  the  members  of  this  great  body,  that  has 
■done  so  much  for  the  preservation  of  historical  informa- 
tion concerning  this  portion  of  the  West,  gathered  in 
Army  and  Navy  Hall,  for  their  annual  meeting.  The 
exercises  opened  with  prayer,  by  Rev.  Lathrop  Cooley, 
chaplain  of  the  Association,  followed  by  a  song  by  the 
Arion  Quartet.  Hon.  A.  J.  Williams,  chairman  of  the 
executive  committee,  submitted  his  annual  report.  He 
read  also  the  report  that  had  been  prepared  by  Solon  Bur- 
gess, the  treasurer.  On  motion  of  General  James  Bar- 
nett,  the  of&cers  who  had  served  during  the  past  year 
were  re-elected,  as  follows:  President,  Richard  C.  Par- 
sons; Vice-Presidents,  Mrs.  Josiah  A.  Harris,  George  F. 
Marshall;  Secretary,  Henry  C.  Hawkins;  Treasurer,  vSolon 
Burgess;  Chaplain,  Rev.  Lathrop  Cooley;  Marshal,  Hiram 
M.  Addison.  The  annual  address  of  President  Parsons 
-was  then  listened  to.     He  brieflv  sketched  the  historv  of 


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THE  HIS  TOR  Y  OF  CLE  VELA  ND.  531 

Ohio,  and  the  AVestern  Reserve,  and  paid  an  eloquent 
tribute  to  the  character  of  the  men  by  whom  they  were 
peopled.  When  he  had  concluded,  Hon.  John  C.  Covert 
was  introduced,  as  the  author  of  that  resolution,  back  in 
1893,  that  was  the  first  public,  official  suggestion,  of  this 
Centennial  celebration,  of  1896. 

Mr.  Covert  ''^'•'  related  many  interesting  events  connected 
with  the  foundation  and  settlement  of  Cleveland,  and,  in 
conclusion,  paid  a  warm  tribute  to  those  w^ho  came  into 
the  wilderness,  to  build  a  commonwealth,  and  make  their 
homes.  ''  These  early  settlers  were,  as  a  rule,"  said  he, 
''  men  of  sturdy  patriotism,  and  broad  intelligence.  Their 
principles,  like  some  of  their  houses,  survive  them.. 
When  all  material  objects  associated  with  them  shall  have 
passed  away,  their  principles  will  still  live,  and  their 
names  and  examples  be  cherished  during  centuries  yet 
to  come." 

Remarks  were  also  made  by  Truman  P.  Handv,  General 
J.  J.  Elwell,  and  vS.  D.  Dodge.  The  members  of  the  as- 
sociation were  invited  then  to  a  dinner,  in  an  upper  hall. 
At  2  :oo  p.  m.,  they  reassembled,  and  marched  as  a  body 
to  the  log-cabin.  A  photograph  was  taken  of  the  group, 
in  front  of  that  famous  structure.  The  afternoon  was 
-spent  in  social  converse,  and  in  listening  to  the  old-time 

*'  In  the  course  of  his  remarks,  Mr.  Covert  suggested  a  modification  of 
the  generally  accepted  statement,  that  pioneer  Nathaniel  Doan  was  a  black- 
smith. He  spoke,  he  said,  on  the  authority  of  members  of  the  Doan 
family.  "He  built  a  blacksmith  shop,"  said  Mr.  Covert,  "a  hotel,  a 
saleratus  factory,  and  a  store,  because  they  were  needed.  Nathaniel 
Doan  was  postmaster,  and  justice  of  the  peace,  for  many  years,  and  re- 
ligious services  were  conducted  by  him,  in  his  house."  It  will  be  remem- 
bered, that  the  Connecticut  Land  Company  voted  a  grant  of  one  citv  lot 
to  Nathaniel  Doan,  the  consideration  being  that  he  should  "reside 
thereon,  as  blacksmith."  Colonel  Charles  Whittlesey,  in  his  "Early  His- 
tory of  Cleveland,"  p.  331,  says:  "  Mr.  Doan  was  the  blacksmith  of  the 
Land  Company,  whose  business  it  was,  during  the  progress  of  the  survey, 
to  keep  their  pack-horses  well  shod.  In  1798,  he  erected  a  rude  shop, 
on  the  south  side  of  Superior  street."  The  probability  is,  that  he  did 
not  personally  follow  that  trade  in  Cleveland,  although  the  builder  of 
the  shop  which  his  arrangement  with  the  Land  Companj?^  caused  to  be 
erected. 


3^2  THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 

music  which  "Father"  H.  M.  Addison  evoked  from  his 
ancient  violin. 

On  the  succeeding  day,  Thursday,  July  30th,  came  the 
celebration  of  Western  Reserve  Day,  dedicated  to  the 
people  of  that  historic  tract,  of  which  Cleveland  is  the 
metropolis.  It  was  ushered  in,  at  5.30  a.  m.,  by  a 
national  salute.  It  had  been  intended  to  hold  public  ex- 
ercises during  the  forenoon,  in  Central  Armory,  but  Sena- 
tors John  Sherman  and  Calvin  S.  Brice,  who  had  been 
advertised  as  the  chief  orators,  discovered,  at  the  last 
moment,  that  they  were  unable  to  come,  and  accordingly 
it  was  abandoned.  A  military  and  pioneer  parade  had 
been  arranged  for  at  2.30  p.  m.,  and  that  was  carried  out, 
in  a  successful  manner.  The  progress  of  a  century  was 
shown  by  floats,  and  otherwise.  Old-time  agricultural 
implements,  the  spinning-wheel  and  hand-loom,  the 
"  dug-out,"  the  yokes  of  oxen,  the  stage-coach  of  by-gone 
days,  the  mail-carrier,  and  other  reminders  of  pioneer 
times,  were  seen  in  the  parade,  as  it  passed  the  reviewing 
stand,  in  front  of  the  City  Hall.  In  the  military  part  of 
the  parade,  came  a  regiment  of  United  States  regulars,  a 
troop  of  regular  cavalry,  a  battery  of  United  States  artil- 
lery, regiments  of  the  Ohio  National  Guard,  Cleveland 
companies,  and  the  veteran  firemen.  The  procession  was 
reviewed  by  Governor  Bushnell,  as  commander-in-chief 
of  the  troops. 

The  week  beginning  with  Monday,  August  loth,  was 
given  over  to  the  Centennial  Yacht  Regatta,  under  the 
auspices  of  the  Centennial  Commission,  and  of  the  Cleve- 
land Yacht  Club.  Several  days  of  excited  racing,  and 
much  in  the  line  of  social  pleasure,  tell  in  a  few  words 
the  story  of  the  week.  August  i8th,  19th,  and  20th,  were 
devoted  to  the  Centennial  Floral  Exhibition,  given  under 
the  auspices  of  the  Centennial  Commission,  the  Cleveland 
Florists'  Club,  and  the  Society  of  American  Florists.  On 
the  1 8th,  the  twelfth  annual  convention  of  the  National 
Association  was  held  in  Army  and  Navy  Hall.  Mayor 
McKisson    made    a    speech    of    welcome   to   the   visitors. 


THE  HIS  TOR  V  OF  CLE  VELA  ND.  jjj 

The  floral  exhibits  were  displayed  in  Central  Armory. 
The  three  days  devoted  to  these  beautiful  displays,  and 
to  the  reception  and  entertainment  of  the  exhibitors, 
were  not  among  the  least  attractive  features  of  the  Cen- 
tennial summer. 

A  week  and  more,  extending  from  August  22nd  to 
August  29th,  was  set  aside  for  the  Grand  Encampment 
and  Supreme  Lodge  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias.  A  camp 
had  been  prepared,  on  "  Payne  Meadows,"  to  which  the 
name  Camp  Perry-Payne  had  been  given.  To  this  came 
thousands  of  knights,  from  all  parts  of  the  country,  and 
were  welcomed  by  representatives  of  the  Centennial  Com- 
mission, and  of  the  members  of  the  order,  in  Cleveland. 
A  band  concert  on  the  opening  evening;  divine  services  on 
the  Sabbath  ;  the  dedication  of  the  camp  ;  boat  riding  on  the 
lake  ;  visits  to  the  public  parks,  and  other  places  of  interest ; 
parades  ;  an  excursion  to  Put-in-Bay  ;  and  prize  drills,  were 
only  a  few  of  the  events  arranged  for  the  pleasure  of  the 
visitors.  The  parade  of  the  uniform,  rank,  and  subordinate 
lodges,  on  the  25th,  was  generally  described  as  the  great- 
est, and  most  imposing,  in  the  history  of  the  order. 

The  first  of  the  Historical  Conferences,  which  were 
among  the  closing  events  of  the  celebration,  was  held, 
on  September  7th  and  8th,  in  Association  Hall.  These 
two  days  were  devoted  to  the  section  of  education,  and 
the  meetings  were  presided  over  by  President  Charles  F. 
Thwine,  of  Western  Reserve  Universitv.  Director-Gen- 
eral  Day  opened  the  exercises,  at  3.00  p.  m.,  by  a  short 
speech,  at  the  conclusion  of  which  he  introduced  Dr. 
Thwing.  Prayer  was  offered  by  Rev.  S.  P.  Sprecher. 
An  entertaining  paper  on  "  vSome  Early  Schools  and 
Teachers  of  Cleveland,"  was  read  by  Miss  L.  T.  Guilford. 
L.  H.  Jones,  superintendent  of  the  Cleveland  schools, 
followed  with  an  able  and  thoughtful  paper  on  "  Present 
Ideals,  and  Future  Prospects  of  Public  Education  in  Cleve- 
land." Prof.  B.  A.  Hinsdale,  of  the  University  of  Michi- 
gan, formerly  prcvsident  of  Hiram  College,  and  superintend- 
ent of  Cleveland  schools,   spoke,   in  the  evening  session, 


^34  THE  HISTOR  Y  OF  CLEVELAND. 


on  "The  Development  of  Primary  and  Secondary  Educa- 
tion." The  second  day,  September  8th,  was  occupied  by 
Mgr.  T.  P.  Thorpe,  who  spoke  on  education,  with  especial 
reference  to  the  parochial  and  public  schools  of  Cleveland ;. 
Dr.  Levi  (Tilbert,  who  talked  upon  religion,  morals,  and 
education ;  and  President  Thwing,  who  ably  discussed  the 
development  of  higher  education.  In  the  evening,  an  ad- 
dress on  legal  education  was  delivered  by  Professor  Jere- 
miah Smith,  of  the  Harvard  Law  School. 

The  succeeding  day,  September  9th,  was  devoted  to  the 
section  of  religion,  and  the  section  of  philanthropy.  The 
exercises  were  held  in  Association  Hall,  and  were  com- 
menced at  9.30  a.  m.,  with  J.  G.  W.  Cowles  presiding. 
The  following  papers  were  read:  "  The  Baptist  Church," 
prepared  by  Rev.  H.  C.  x\pplegartli ;  "The  Catholic 
Church,"  Chancellor  George  F.  Houck;  "  The  Con- 
gregational Church,"  Rev.  J.  G.  Fraser;  "The  German 
Protestant  Church,"  Rev.  H.  J.  Reutenik ;  "  The  Jewish 
Church,"  Rabbi  M.  Machol;  "  The  ^lethodist  Episcopal 
Church,"  Mrs.  W.  A.  Ingham;  "The  Presbyterian 
Church,"  Rev.  A.  C.  Ludlow.  In  the  afternoon,  a  paper 
on  "  The  History  of  the  Charities  of  Cleveland,"  was  read 
by  L.  F.  Mellen;  Dr.  C.  F.  Dutton  spoke  on  "  The  Mutual 
Relations  of  Riches  and  Poverty,"  and  Rabbi  Moses  J. 
Gries,  on  "Organized  Philanthropy." 

With  the  close  of  Thursday,  September  loth,  the  cele- 
brations of  Cleveland's  most  memorable  summer  came  tO' 
an  end.  It  was  Perry's  Victory  Day  that  was  observed, 
with  an  enthusiasm  as  great,  and  a  patriotism  as  fervent, 
as  was  shown  by  the  people  of  Cleveland  on  the  opening 
of  this  series  of  commemorative  events. 

For  the  last  time  the  national  salute  at  daybreak  noti- 
fied the  people  to  be  up  for  their  final  holiday.  Great 
crowds  of  visitors  came  in  from  the  surrounding  country, 
and  the  streets  were  everywhere  filled,  long  before  the 
beginning  of  the  formal  exercises.  The  weather  was 
perfect,  as  though  nature  was  willing  to  make  amends  for 
the  heat  and  rains  of  the  previous  days. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CLEVELAND. 


555 


There  was  a  mass  meeting  in  the  Central  Armory,  at 
•9.30  a.  m.  Governor  Bushnell  was  president  of  the  day, 
and,  on  taking  the  chair,  spoke  briefly  of  the  day  and  its 
meaning.  He  then  introduced  the  Hon.  Charles  Warren 
Lippitt,  governor  of  Rhode  Island- — the  vState  in  which 
Oliver  Hazard  Perry  was  born, —  who  had  come  to  Cleve- 
land as  the  citv's  guest. 

Governor  Lippitt  then  delivered  the  chief  address  of  the 
■day,  in  which  the  story  of  Perry's  memorable  battle,  and 
its  results,  was  told  in  full.  At  its  conclusion,  Director- 
General  Day  offered  a  resolution,  asking  the  Congress  of 
the  United  States,  and  the  general  assembly  of  Ohio,  "  to 
make  an  appropriation  suf- 


ficient to  erect,  on  Put-in- 
Bay  Island,  an  appropriate 
memorial  over  the  long- 
neglected  graves  of  the  pa- 
triotic American  soldiers 
and  sailors  of  the  Battle  of 
Lake  Erie."  The  resolu- 
tion was  adopted,  unani- 
mously. 

An  ode  on  Perry's  vic- 
tory was  read  by  Frederick 
Boyd  Stevenson,  of  Chicago, 
modore  Perry  were  introduced, 


THE    CENTENNIAL    ARCH. 


Several  descendants  of  Com- 
The  benediction  was  pro- 
nounced by  Rev.  Charles  E.  ^Manchester,  and  the  gather- 
ing dispersed. 

At  2.30  p.  m.,  came  the  final  great  parade,  industrial 
and  military  in  its  character.  There  were  many  soldiers 
in  the  line ;  the  governors  of  Ohio  and  Rhode  Island,  with 
their  staffs ;  the  members  of  the  Centennial  Commission ; 
the  officers  of  the  LTnited  States  steamer  "  Michigan,"  and 
of  the  revenue  cutter  "  Fessenden;"  many  fraternal  and 
social  organizations;  and  a  long  line  of  floats,  illustrative 
of  Cleveland's  varied  industries,  and  the  products  of  her 
factories  and  shops.  It  was  a  crowning  object-lesson, 
showing  what  the  city  of  Moses  Cleaveland  could  do,  at 


5j6  THI-:  HIS  TO  RY  OF  CLE  VEL  A  ND. 


this  end  of  the  nineteenth  century.  It  covered  miles  of 
the  city's  streets,  which  were  lined  by  thousands  of  spec- 
tators. The  shades  of  evening  had  fallen,  before  the 
last  float  went  bv  the  reviewing  stand,  and  the  electric 
lights  were  called  in  to  shed  their  brightness  up<jn  the 
final  scene. 

The  people  had  no  time  to  go  home,  but  filled  all  the 
lake  fr(~)nt  at  an  early  hour,  where  the  Battle  of  Lake 
Erie  was  again  fought  over,  in  mimic  warfare. 

The  Centennial  celebration  was  brought  to  a  close,  at 
the  conclusion  of  a  banquet,  given  in  the  HoUenden  Hotel, 
bv  the  Centennial  Commission,  in  honor  of  the  guests  of 
the  day.  James  H.  Hoyt  presided,  and  at  the  proper 
point  intrc^duced  Governor  Bushnell,  who  made  an  ex- 
tended and  patriotic  address.  He  was  followed  by  Gov- 
ernor Lippitt,  Hon.  E.  C.  Bois,  attorney-general  of  Rhode 
Island,  James  H.  Hoyt,  Rabbi  Moses  J.  Gries,  and,  finally, 
Mayor  Robert  E.  McKisson.  He  reviewed  the  century 
past,  thanked  all  who  had  aided  in  making  the  Centennial 
a  success,  and  spoke  hopefully  of  the  future.  Then,  with 
a  mallet  made  from  wood  taken  from  the  historic  log- 
cabin,  he  gave  a  sharp  rap  upon  the  table,  and  officially 
declared  the  Centennial  celebration  of  1896  at  an  end. 


INDEX. 


Abbey,  Grove  N.,  307. 

Abbey,  Henry  G.,  443,  446. 

Abbey,  Seth  A.,  235,  267. 

Abbey  Street  Viadvict,  476. 

Abbott,  David,  11 8. 

Aborn,  Frank,  462. 

Academ3\  194,  281. 

Academy  of  Music,  426,  427. 

Ackley,  H.  A.,  312,  357. 

Ackley,  Dr.  H.  C,  349-51. 

Ackley,  John  A.,  70,  176,  177. 

Adams,  Asael,  11 5-1 16,  141. 

Adams,  Samuel  E.,  310,  440,  442. 

Adams,  Seth,  135. 

Addison,  H.  M.,  550,  552;  originates 

Early  Settlers'    Association,  438 ; 

Centennial  commission,   519,  521, 

525- 
Adalbert  College,  545,  546. 
Adgate,  John  Hart,  93. 
Advertiser,  the,  44,  258. 
Advertisements,  294,  295. 
Agnew,  Samuel,  26. 
Aiken,  vS.  C,  314,  326. 
Akers,  William  J.,  520,  521,  525. 
Akron  and  Beaver  Canal,  304. 
Alcott,  F.  L.,  522. 
Aldermen,  Board  of,  354. 
Allemannia     Fire     Insurance     Co., 

352. 

Allen,  Gaston  G.,  311. 

Allen,  John  W.,  177,  216-217,  226, 
232,  242,  262;  director  Commercial 
Bank  of  Lake  Erie,  1S6:  in  the 
cholera  season,  242-43;  tells  of 
plague  iniS32,  243-45;  incorpora- 
tor C.  and  N.  Ry.  Co.,  256;  writes 
for  the  Advertiser,  258 ;  elected 
mayor,  276;  incorporator  Ohio  R. 


R.  Co.,  318;  president  C,  C.  and 
C.  R.  R.,  322;  president  Society 
for  Savings,  342 ;  Early  Settlers' 
Association,  439  ;  postmaster,  507 ; 
congressional  representative,  509. 

Allen,  Xehemiah,  229,  311,  31S. 

Allen,  W.  F.,  Jr.,  339. 

American  Florists,  Society  of,  552. 

Amusements  in  early  times,  173-74. 

Anderson,  A.  T.,  507,  525. 

Andrews,  A.,  265. 

Andrews,  B.,  272,  507. 

Andrews,  Sherlock  J.,  186,  216,  226, 
251,  268,  270;  sketch  of,  217-218; 
president  of  the  council,  269:  his 
resignation,  271 ;  first  president 
Library  Board,  403 ;  first  presi- 
dent Cleveland  Bar  Association, 
406 :  Early  Settlers'  Association, 
440:  representative,  509. 

Andrews,  William,  67. 

Andrews,  William  W.,  83. 

Angler  House,  359,  368. 

Anshe  Chesed  Congregation,  360. 

Anti-Slavery  Society,  294. 

Applegarth,  H.  C,  554. 

Appraisers  of  houses,  1S03,  118. 

Apprentices,  180. 

Arey,  Oliver,  463. 

Arion  Quartet,  532,  550. 

Arkites,  445-447. 

Armstrong,  Elizabeth,  282. 

Armstrong,  George  E.,  406. 

Armstrong,  William  W. ,   472,    482, 

507,  513- 
Army  and  Navy  Hall,  550,  552. 
Arnold,  George,  471. 
Art  Gallery,  plans  and  bequests  for, 

509-510. 


5SS 


INDEX. 


Artemus  Ward  Club,  546. 

Baldwin,  Philemon,  154,  168. 

Arter,  Mrs.  F.  A.,  548. 

Baldwin,  Runa,  .154. 

Ashtabula  bridge  disaster, 

432. 

Baldwin,  Samuel  S.,  154,  168. 

Ashtabula  County,  14S. 

Baldwin,  Smith  S.,  149,  150. 

Assessor,  city,  181 5,  176. 

Ballard,  John,  231. 

Association  Hall,  553,  554. 

Bangs,  F.  C,  418,  482. 

Associations,  315,  405-406, 

430- 

40. 

Bank  of  Cleveland,    292. 

Asylums,  356-58. 

Bank  of  Commerce,  344,  347. 

Atkins,  D.  F.,  138. 

Banks,  of  Ohio,  188,  189;  from  1845- 

Atlantic  and  Great  Western   Rail- 

i8g5,341-51 ;  failures,  302,  348-51 ; 

road  Company,  329. 

capital  and  surplus,  503. 

Atwater,  Amzi,  26,  55-56;  s 

ketch  of, 

Bankruptcy  Court,  404. 

66;  67,  68. 

Baptist  Church,  238. 

Atwater,  Caleb,  92. 

Barber,  Amos,  26. 

Auditor,  420. 

Barber,  Gershom  M.,  407,  422,  423. 

Austin,  Eliphalet,  92,  93. 

Barber,  Joseph,  186. 

Austin,  Eliphalet,  Jr.,  318. 

Barber,  Josiah,   229,   241,    253,   257, 

Austin,  William,  168. 

365- 

Avery,  Elroy  M.,  463. 

Barker,  Aaron,  256,  507. 

Avery,  Mrs.  Elroy  M.,  359, 

360, 

526, 

Barnes,  Samuel,  27. 

54S,  550. 

Barnett,  James,   247,   354,   360,   495, 

Axline,  H.  A.,  547. 

550,     475;     Library     Association 

Axworthy,    Thomas,    475 ; 

defalca- 

Board,  316;  Board  of  Police  Com- 

tion of,  478-79. 

missioners,  398;  president  Board 

Ayres,  Elisha,  26. 

of     Elections,     472 ;      Centennial 
committee,  519. 

Babcock,  B.  D.,  442,  477,  493. 

Barnett,   Melancthon,  249,  272,  304, 

Babcock, Mrs.  Caroline  Baldwin 

549- 

471. 

Babcock,  Charles  H.,  471. 

Barnum,  P.  T.,  427. 

Babcock,  Mrs.  P.  H.,  360. 

Barr,  John,  283,  294,  354,  355,  471. 

Babcock,  William  R.,  229. 

Barr,  Thomas,  103. 

Backus,   Franklin  T.,  277, 

349. 

364; 

Barr  Association,  368,  406. 

Canal   Bank  failure,   350,  35 

I ;  m 

Barret.  David,  168. 

Oberlin-Wellington  rescue  cases, 

Barris,  W.  H.,  345. 

383. 

Bartlett,  J.  B.,  354,  365. 

Backus,  Mrs.  Franklin  T., 

449- 

Bartley,  Mordecai,  229. 

Badger,  Joseph,  97,  100-10 

5- 

Bates,  Noble,  154. 

Bailey,  Amasa,  177. 

Bath  street,  42,  45. 

Baldwin,  Amos,  154. 

Battell,  Philip,  279. 

Baldwm,  Caleb,  154. 

Battle  of  the  Peninsula,  162. 

Baldwin,  Charles  C,   399, 

401, 

469, 

Baffles  of  our  Nation,  534. 

483- 

Bauder,  Levi  F.,  471,  495. 

Baldwin,  David  C,  483. 

Beacher,  Sylvester,  160. 

Baldwin,  Dudley,  187,  267, 

295, 

328, 

Beall,  Gen.  R.,  162. 

339.  441- 

Beard,  David,  27. 

Baldwin,  E.  I.,  307. 

Beardsley,  David  H.,  177,  214,  216. 

Baldwin,  Edward,  268,  271 

'  29c 

• 

21S,  256. 

Baldwin,  Norman  C,  235, 

266, 

305, 

Beardsley,  L  L.,  402. 

365. 

Bears,  104-105. 

INDEX. 


539 


Beatty,  Zaccheus  A.,  135. 

Bissell,  John  P.,  93. 

Beaumont,  W.  H.,  310. 

Black  Hawk,  253,  254. 

Bedell,  G.  T.,  453- 

Black  Hawk  War,  243,  245. 

Bedford,  303. 

Black  River,  9,  125,  131. 

Beer,  Joshua,  103. 

Blair,  A.  O.,  340. 

Belden,  Caroline,  2S3. 

Blair,  Elizabeth,  526. 

Belden,  Clifford,  310. 

Blair,  F.  J.,  283. 

Belden,  George  W.,  383. 

Blair,  Henry,  272. 

Belden,  Silas,  242,  267,  2S1. 

Blair,   John,   186,  197,  212,  215,  267, 

Benedict,  George  A.,  275,  33S,  365, 

304- 

507,  511- 

Blandin,  Mrs.  E.  J.,  548. 

Benedict,  I.  F.,  471. 

Blee,  Robert,  417. 

Benedict   and    Reudy,    store    burg- 

Blin, Richard,  154. 

larized,  473. 

Bliss,  George,  383. 

Benham,  George  H.,  471. 

Bliss,  Stoughton,  44(). 

Benham,  Shadrach,  26. 

Blossom,  H.  C,  405. 

Bennett,  James,  247,  24S. 

Blossom,  Henry  S.,  522. 

Bennett,  John  A.,  393. 

Blount,  Colonel,  413. 

Bennett,  Philander,  265. 

Board  of  Control,  1891,  482. 

Benton,  E.  R.,  310. 

Board   of    Industry   and    Improve- 

Benton, Horace,  2S3. 

ment,  475. 

Benton.  L.  A.,  3S7. 

Board  of    Park   Commissioners    or- 

Benton, Stephen,  26. 

ganized,  415. 

Berea  Guards,  433. 

Board  of  Trade,  33S-39,  394-96,  486- 

Bethel  Church,  278. 

88,  503. 

Bethel  Union  and  Associated  Chari- 

Boardman, Elijah,  92. 

ties,  403. 

Boardman,  W.  J.,  405-406. 

Beverlin,  John,  365. 

Bohm,  E.  H.,  471,  495. 

Bicknell,  Minor,  67,  68. 

Bois,  E.  C,  556- 

Bicycle  parade,  546,  547. 

Bierce,  Mrs.  Sarah  E.,  526,  549. 

Big  Son,  Seneca  Indian,  74.  75. 

Bigelow,  A.  D.,  310. 

Bigelow  Lodge,  310. 

Bill,  Earl,  410. 

Billinger,  Mary,  13S-39. 

Bills,  James  S.,  160. 

Bingham,  Charles  W.,  479,  510. 

Bingham,  Elijah,  262. 

Bingham,  Flavel  W.,  276,  356. 

Bingham,  William,  277,  359,  364. 
365,  405,  410;  Library  Association 
Boaixl,  316;  first  president  Union 
Club,  406;  Western  Reserve  His- 
torical Society,  4S3. 

Bishop,  John,  160. 

Bishop,  k.  M.,  438. 

Bissell,  A.  H.,  339. 

Bissell,  Benjamin,  340. 


Bolles,  Jas.  A.,  433. 

Bolls,  John,  92. 

Bolton,  Thomas,  267,  310. 

Bomford  tract,  360. 

Bond,  Mrs.  D.  E.,  244. 

Bone,  J.  H.  A.,  399. 

Bower,  B.  F.,  517. 

Boxwell,  Alexander,  521. 

Brace,  Jonathan,  20. 

Bradburn,  Charles,  283,  286,  306,  377. 

Bradford,  Mrs.  Mary  S.,  526. 

Bradley,  Alva,  466. 

Bradley,  Moses,  160. 

Bradstreet,  Col.  John,  10. 

Brainard,  Asa,  240. 

Brainard,  A.  H.,  339. 

Brainard,  Enos,  240. 

Brainard,  J.,  339. 

Brainard,  Ozias,  240. 

Brainard,  Silas,  427. 


^bo 


INDEX. 


Brainard,  Stephen,  240. 

Bryant,  Oilman,  63,  69,  96,  iic 

). 

Brainard,  Warren,  240. 

Buckeye  Guards,  433. 

Brainard's  Ojjera  House,  sec  Globe 

Buckeye  Insurance  Companj-, 

352. 

Theater. 

Buckingham,  Ebenezer,  222. 

Brainerd,  Dr.  H.  C.  403. 

Buel,  Daniel,  167,  168. 

Brainerd's  Hall,  426,  427. 

Buell,  J.  C,  283,  399. 

Brandon,  C,  160. 

Buffalo  Land  Company,  241,  2( 

5-66 ; 

Brant,  Joseph,  31-32,  53. 

builds  hotel,  295. 

Bratenahl's  Block,  236. 

Buffalo  road,  236. 

Brayton,  Henry  F.,  352,  372,  410. 

Buhrer,  Stephen,  311,  402,  436. 

Breck,  J.  H.,  360. 

Building  statistics,  1890,  505. 

Brecksville,  303. 

Bulkley,  Charles  H.,  418,  428, 

475- 

Brennan,  Kate  S. ,  462. 

Bulkley,  W.  F.,  515. 

Brett,  William  H.,  402. 

Bump,  Mr.  — ,  schoolmaster,  2 

36. 

Brewer,  A.  T.,  483. 

Bunnel,  David,  168. 

Briant,  John,  27. 

Burbank,  Stephen,  27. 

Brice,  Calvin  S.,  552. 

Burgess,  Almon,  471. 

Bridges,  296-300,  436-38,  476. 

Burgess,  H.  H.,  482. 

Briggs,  James  A.,  286,  323. 

Burgess,  Solon,  519,  550. 

Brinsmade,  A.  T.,  433. 

Burk,  Allen,  160. 

British  fleet,  appearance  of,  164. 

Burk.Erectus,  154. 

Britton  Iron  &  Steel  Co.,  369. 

Burk,  Joseph,  161. 

Broadway  widened,  265. 

Burk,  Sylvanus,  126. 

Brockway,  A.  W.,  345. 

Burke,  Clarence,  525. 

Brockway,  H.  C,  410. 

Burke,  Joseph,  141. 

Brockway,  Wason,  Everett  &   Co., 

Burnett,  C.  C,  522,  526. 

345- 

Burnham,  Thomas,  252-53,  36; 

>. 

Bronson,  Rev.  S.  A.,  136. 

Burras,  David,  154. 

Brooklyn     Cemetery     Association, 

Burrell,  Jesse,  261. 

360. 

Burrows,  Francis  A.,  365. 

Brooklyn  Blues,  433. 

Burt,  George  H.,  415. 

Brooklyn  township,  238,  241. 

Burton,  Mrs.  E.  D.,  360. 

Brooklyn,  Village  of,   134,  296,  303. 

Burton,  Theodore  E.,  509. 

annexation,  508. 

Bushnell,  Asa  S.,  525,  531,  541 

545; 

Brooks,  Henry  M.,  521. 

address   on   Founder's  day, 

538, 

Brooks,  S.  C,  415. 

549.  552,  555- 

Brown,  Ethan  A.,  152,  168,  222. 

Bushnell,  Mrs.  A.  S.,  549. 

Brown,  Fayette,  347,  34S. 

Bushnell,  Simeon,  382-83. 

Brown,  Rev.  F.  T.,  358. 

Butler,  Benjamin  F.,  360. 

Brown,  Josiah  W.,  124. 

Butler,  Henry  E.,  294. 

Brown,  John  W.,  403. 

Butler,  Julia,  282. 

Brown,  Samuel,  270. 

Butts,    Bolivar,   441,    519,    521, 

525, 

Brown,  Thomas,  339. 

526,  532. 

Brownell,  Mayor,  358. 

Byington,  Edwin,  318. 

Brownell,  Thomas,  386. 

Brush,  Charles  F.,  430-;^ i,  522,  525. 

Cadv,  George  W.,  Centennial  Com- 

Brush Electric  Company,  431. 

missioner,  525: 

Bryan,  David,  iig. 

Cady,  S.  C,  organizes  Euclid 

Ave- 

Bryant,  David,  63,  74,  95,  96. 

nue  Congregational  Church, 

314- 

INDEX. 


^6i 


Calahan,  Thomas,  elected  council- 

captain  of    militia,    120;    protest 

man,  271,  272. 

against,  121;  supervisor,  122;  son 

Caldwell,  Hugh  J.,  judge  of  Circuit 

drowned,  126;  aids  escaped  slave. 

Court,  470. 

Ben,    132-33;    builds    "Zephyr," 

Caldwell,  John,  20. 

139;    opening   of   Cleveland  and 

Calhoun,     Patrick,     donates     park 

Huron  road,  140;  purchases  West 

land,  420. 

Side  land,  241. 

Camp,  John  G.,  incorporator  Ohio 

Carter,  Lorenzo,  Jr.,  153. 

R.  R.  Co.,  318. 

Case,    Leonard,    Sr.,     176,     1S7-88; 

Camp    Moses    Cleaveland,    dedica- 

president  of    Commercial    Bank, 

tion,  530-31. 

186;  builds  frame  warehouse,  197; 

Camp  Perry-Payne,  553. 

at  court,  215;  city  allotment,  265; 

Campaign  songs,  307-30S. 

councilman,  272;    and  bank  bur- 

Campbell,   Alexander,    136,   trader. 

glars,  34S. 

119. 

Case,    Leonard,   Jr.,   445;  charities, 

Campbell,  Mrs.  Helen,  54S. 

404;  founds  Case  School,  443. 

Campbell,  I.,  313. 

Case,    William,   316,    364,   443,   445, 

Campbell,  J.  D.,  455. 

446;  mayor,    276,    326;  sketch   of. 

Campbell,    Mary,  captivity  of,  9. 

366. 

Canada,  exports  to,  Apr.-Oct.,  1809, 

Case  Hall,  42S. 

130,  140. 

Case  Library,  bequest,  316. 

Canal  Bank,  failure,  348-51. 

Case   School   of   ApjDlied   Sciences, 

Canals,  134;   222-26;  Beaver  to  Ak- 

founded, 443-45. 

ron,  304. 

Cass,  Jonathan,  135. 

Canfield,  Horace,  26S,  271. 

Cass,  Lewis,  161. 

Canfield,  Judson,  92. 

Cassells,  J.  Lang,  312,  371. 

Canfield,  Sherman  B.,  314. 

Castle,  Henry,  253. 

Canfield  and  Spencer,  buy  the  "Ad- 

Castle, Mark  S.,  253. 

vertiser,"  25S;  city  printers,   271; 

Castle,  William    B.,   364:    mayor  of 

publish  "Advertiser,"  512. 

Ohio  City,  365 ;  trustee  City  Hos- 

Carad, Jacob,  168. 

pital,  405. 

Card,  George  W. ,  311,  31S. 

Cataract  Lodge,  311. 

Card,  Thomas,  associate  judge,  215. 

Cathan,  Oirson,  177. 

Card,  Varnum,  471. 

Cathcart,  Wallace  H.,  4S5. 

Carey,  John  E.,  250. 

Catholic  Church,  first,  303. 

Carleton,  C.  C,  352. 

Cattel,  A.  G.,  327. 

Carlton,  John,  160. 

Caul,  Peter,  310. 

Carlton,  Rodolphus,  160. 

Cecil,  William,  93. 

Carr,  Robert,  121,  154. 

Cemeteries,    155,    215,    22S,    360-61, 

Carr,  William  F.,  465,  550. 

burying  ground,  1797,  56. 

Carter,  Alonzo,  176,  tSi,  240,  241. 

Census  statistics,  498,  Cuyahoga  Co. , 

Carter,   Lorenzo,   89,    124,    136,   153, 

163,    167,    16S,    169.    170,    172;  ar- 

Centennial, committees,  519-22,  526; 

rives    in    Cleveland,    56;    assists 

Commission,    521,    525;    Finance 

fever  patients,  61 ;  in  possession 

Committee,  522;  program,  523-25; 

of      Cuyahoga      settlement,      63 ; 

chairman     of     committees,     526; 

sketch   of,    69-75 ;    land   contract 

Woman's   Department,    526;    for- 

with Hart,  71;  buys  city  lot,  92; 

mal     opening,      527-30;    German 

constable,  94;  erects  houses,  in; 

Lutherans'  mass  meeting,  529-30; 

5(>2 


INDEX. 


dedication  Camp  Moses  Cleave- 
land,  530-31;  log-cabin  dedicated, 
531-34;  Early  Settlers'  reception, 
534 ;  Battles  of  on  7-  X  at  ion  :  musi- 
cal spectacle,  534;  Founder's  day, 
534-45 ;  letter  from  President 
Cleveland,  535:  Mr.  Piatt's  Ode, 
537;  Rockefeller's  gift,  537-38; 
arch  lighted,  543-44;  New  Eng- 
land day,  545-46;  opera,  546;  bi- 
cycle parade,  546-47;  Woman's 
day,  547-50;  Miss  Foster's  Ode, 
548:  Earh'  Settlers'  day  550-52; 
first  official  suggestion  of  Centen- 
nial, 551;  Yacht  Regatta,  552; 
floral  exhibition,  552;  Knights  of 
Pythias,  553;  Historical  Confer- 
ences, 553-54;  Perry's  victory 
day,  554-56;  close  of  celebration, 
556. 

Center  House,  294. 

Central  Armory,  534,  547,  553,  555. 

Central  bridge,  dedicated,  477-7S. 

Central  Market,  opened,  369. 

Central  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  481. 

Central  Viaduct,  built,  435-3S;  car 
disaster,  508-509. 

Chagrin,  circulating  library,  311. 

Chagrin  Falls  Guards,  join  15th 
regiment,  433. 

Chagrin  Riv-er,  origin  of  name,  37. 

Chamber  of  Commerce,  48S-93. 

Chamberlain,  Philo,  339,  349,  398. 

Chamberlain,   Selah,   359,   372,   454, 

479- 
Champion,  Henr^-,  20,  123. 
Champion,  Reuben,  18O. 
Chapin,  Herman  M.,  316,  398,  446. 
Chapman,  Henry,  471. 
Chapman.  Nathan,  42,  154. 
Charities,  403-405. 
Charity  Hospital,  357. 
Charter,  proposed  repeal  of  city,  276. 
Chase,  Charles  W.,  515,  521,  525. 
Chase,  Mrs.  Charles  W.,  526. 
Chase,  T.  R.,  399. 
Cheesman,  J.  E.,  526,  547. 
Child,  A.  Kennedy,  545. 


Children's  Aid  Society  and  Home, 
358. 

Childs,  George  W.,  283. 

Childs,  Herrick,  272. 

Childs,  Oscar  A.,  283,  405,  415. 

Child  and  Bishop,  353. 

Chillicothe,  117. 

Chippewas,  74,  75,  124. 

Chisholm,  Henry,  370,  371,  405,  429. 

Chittenden,  S.  W.,  345,  351. 

Cholera  season  of  1832,  241-46. 

Church,  Jonathan,  93,  124. 

Churches,  102,  313-15,  469. 

Churchill,  Mrs.  S.  P.,  520. 

Circuit  Court,  469. 

Cist,  Charles,  357. 

Citizens'  Savings  and  Loan  As- 
sociation, 345. 

City  Bank  of  Cleveland,  341,  347. 

City  Guards,  290,  291. 

City  Hospital,  405. 

City  Insurance  Company,  352. 

City  Lodge,  310. 

Civil  Engineer's  Club,  455. 

Civil  War,  the,  389,  390,  391. 

Claflen,  H.  M.,  477. 

Clark,  A.  A.,  462. 

Clark,  David,  6g,  89,  90,  92,  119; 
death,  127. 

Clark,  E.  M.,  372. 

Clark,  Edmund,  265,  310,  351. 

Clark,  Mrs.  Edmund,  237. 

Clark,  Edward,  186,  267. 

Clark,  Edwin,  216. 

Clark,  Henry  W.,  306. 

Clark,  James  F.,  479. 

Clark,  James  S. ,  186,  215,  229,  256, 
265,  295,  297. 

Clark,  Jarvis,  154. 

Clark,  Martin,  154. 

Clark,  Marvin,  306. 

Clark,  Mason,  154,  160. 

Clark,  Rufus,  154. 

Clearing    Hovise    Association,    347, 

348. 

Cleaveland,  Camden,  93. 

Cleaveland,  Moses,  2,  33,  54,  69,  71; 
prophecy  concerning  Cleveland, 
I ;      superintendent     Connecticut 


INDEX. 


363- 


Land  Company  purchase,  21 ; 
biographical  sketch,  22-24;  letter 
to  Oliver  Phelps,  25,  26;  confer- 
ence with  Indians,  31,  32,  35,  36; 
reaches  the  Cuyahoga,  37-38;  re- 
ports to  home  company,  39 ;  de- 
cides upon  site,  39 ;  name  given 
to  city,  42 ;  agreement  with  sur- 
veyors, 49,  50;  contract  ratified, 
53 ;  statue  erected,  440-42. 

Clerk,  city,  183S,  273. 

Clerk,  county,  iSto,  149. 

Clerk,  town,  1802,  iii;  1S03,  118; 
1809,  143;  1S91,  482. 

Cleveland,  Grover,  535,  543,  544. 

Cleveland,  James  D.,  283,  471,  479, 
483,  509,  510;  tells  of  Cleveland  in 
1835,  261,  262;  Western  Reserve 
Historical  Society,  399. 

Cleveland,  founding,  i,  2,  39;  spell- 
ing of  name,  42-44 ;  plan  for  sale 
of  lots,  47-48,  52 ;  division  of  lots, 
52  ;  second  expedition,  54,  55  ;  first 
funeral,  55;  oldest  house,  59-60; 
becomes  part  of  Jefferson  Co. ,  60 ; 
travel,  64;  in  1797,  69;  early 
homes,  78,  79 ;  early  tood,  So-83 ; 
sale  of  city  lots,  91-92  ;  list  of  set- 
tlers to  1800,  96;  first  town  meet- 
ing, in;  supervisors'  districts, 
121,  122;  in  1806,  130;  in  1807, 
136;  county  seat,  143,  149;  inhabit- 
ants, 1811-12,  153,  154;  appeal 
for  aid,  158;  in  1S13,  163;  bound- 
aries, 174,  231,  266;  streets  laid 
out,  177;  legislation,  178;  in  1796, 
182;  description,  237;  in  1833,  254, 

255,  262;  in  1836,  264,  265,  266; 
local  government,  354,  480-82; 
union  wnth  Ohio  City,  361-365 ; 
from  1880-90,  457-62;  area  in 
1891,  505;  religious  growth,  505. 

Cleveland  and  Canton  Railroad,  337. 
Cleveland  and  Erie  Railroad,  321. 
Cleveland  and  Huron  Railroad,  140. 
Cleveland    and     Mahoning    Valley 

Railroad,  328. 
Cleveland  and  Newburgh  Railroad, 

256,  257. 


Cleveland  and  Pittsburg  Railroad, 

334- 

Cleveland  and  Warren  Railroad,  269. 

Cleveland  Builders'  Exchange,  493. 

Cleveland,  Columbus  and  Cincin- 
nati Railroad,  321,  324. 

Cleveland  Forum,  315! 

Cleveland  Insurance  Company,  351. 

Cleveland  Iron  Company,  371,  372. 

Cleveland,  Lorain  and  Wheeling 
Railroad,  335. 

Cleveland  House,  426. 

Cleveland  National  Bank,  345. 

Cleveland,  Painesville  and  Ashta- 
bula Railroad,  332. 

Cleveland  Pier  Company,  181. 

Cleveland,  township,  43,  47,  48,  303. 

Cleveland,  Warren  and  Pittsburg 
Railroad,  273,  321,  326,  328. 

Clinton,  De  Witt,  223-225,  317. 

Clinton,  Kennedy,  283. 

Clinton  Park,  265,  295,  415. 

Clothing,  83,  84. 

Coal,  230,  231,  303,  373. 

Cobb,  Margaret,  98. 

Cochran,  Abner,  121,  154. 

Coe,  Charles  W. ,  339. 

Coe,  S.  S.,  339,  440. 

Coffin,  Michael,  26. 

Coffin,  O.  Vincent,  535,  537,  541. 

Coffinberry,  H.  D.,  393. 

Cofifinberry,  J.  M.,  384. 

Colleges,  311-13.  339-40.  443-44-  545,- 

546- 

Collins,  William,  405. 

Collins,  William  H.,  229. 

Columbus  street  bridge,  269. 

Colwell,  A.  G.,  307,  359. 

Commerce,  119,  125,  394-96,  460-62,. 
498-500. 

Commercial  Bank  of  Lake  Erie, 
186,  187,  189,  292,  342,  34S. 

Commercial  Branch  Bank,  342,  347. 

Commercial  House,  212. 

Commercial  Mutual  Insurance  Com- 
pany, 351. 

Commercial  National  Bank,  342. 

Committee  of  One  Hundred,  475. 

CommonPleas  Court,  149-50,356,423.. 


5(^4 


INDEX. 


Conequenessing  Creek,  12. 

Conger,  James  L.,  179. 

Congregational  Church,  314. 

Congressional  representatives,  509. 

Connecticut  Land  Company,  g,  65, 
89,  90,  123,  [74;  organized,  20-21, 
24-26;  list  of  officers  and  men, 
26-27;  Indian  conferences,  31-32, 
35-36,  T22;  meeting,  January, 
1797.   53;  appeal  to  Congress,  60. 

Connotton  Valley  Railway  Co.,  336. 

Conservatory  of  Music,  448. 

Constable,  town,  1803,  118. 

Constables,  94,  in. 

"  Constellation,"  the,  263. 

Constitutional  Convention,  117. 

Conterno's  Ninth  Regiment  Band, 

534- 

Contractor,  the,  125. 

Converse,  C.  C,  326. 

Converse,  Sophia,  282. 

Cook,  Samuel,  247,  270,  271,  426. 

Cook,  William,  427. 

Cooley,  Lathrop,  532,  550. 

Coolihan,  Thomas,  246. 

Coon,  John,  446,  447. 

Corner,  Horace  B.,  485. 

Coughlin,  John,  475. 

Council,  City,  269-71;  1838,  272-73; 
1840,  275  ;  1S91,  4S2  ;  headquarters, 
367-68;  joint  meeting,  365  ;  action 
on  annexing  Ohio  City,  362-65. 

Counties  organized,  147-48. 

County  commissioners,  1810,  150. 

Courthouse,  165,  228,  374-75. 

Courts,  149-52,  404.  422-23,  442,  469. 

Covert,  John  C,  519,  525,  551. 

Cowen,  William,  248,  354. 

Cowles,  Alfred  H.,  515. 

Cowles,  Edwin,  507,  513,  514. 

Cowles,  (iiles  H.,  104. 

Cowles,  J.  G.  W.,  419,  52b,  530,  537, 
548,  554;  opens  Centennial  exer- 
cises, 528. 

Cowles,  Samuel,  198,  215,  224,  229, 
294. 

Cozad,  Andrew,  471. 

Cozad,  Elias,  147. 

Cozad,  Jacob  D.,  455. 


Craig,  Isaac,  11-13. 

Ci-anberry  Plains,  12. 

Craw,  James,  248,  250,  355. 

Craw,  William  V.,  268,  27S. 

Crawford,  John,  229. 

Crawford,  Willard,  310. 

Criminal   events,   133,    166-71,    473, 

474- 

Cntchlield,  L.  R.,  407. 

Crittenden,  N.  E.,  178,  229,  306. 

Croly,  Mrs.  J.  C,  550. 

Cromwell,  Miss  Rebecca.  See 
Rouse,  Mrs.  Rebecca  C. 

Crook,  Richard,  294. 

Cross,  D.  W.,  27J7j  .2ctij_446. 

Cross,  George,  247. 

Crowell,  John,  358. 

Crum,  X.  X.,  475. 

Cuddebach,  James,  168. 

Cuddy-Mullen  Co.,  414. 

Culver,  Oliver,  119. 

Cunningham,  Robert,  328. 

Curtis,  A.  H.,  273. 

Curtiss,  James  M.,  476-77. 

Cushman,  E.  H.,  526. 

Cutter,  Orlando,  198,  205,  358. 

Cutter,  W.  L.,  341,  348. 

Cuyahoga  and  Muskingum  Naviga- 
tion Lottery,  135. 

Cuyahoga  Anti-Slavery  Society,  292. 

Cuyahoga  County,  47,  94,  147,  148, 
166,  303. 

Cuyahoga  County  Agricultural  So- 
ciety, 340. 

Cuyahoga  County  Colonization  So- 
ciety, 229. 

Cuyahoga  County  Medical  Society. 
407. 

Cuyahoga  County  Soldiers'  and 
Sailors'  Monument,  494-97. 

Cuyahoga  River,  9,  10,  11,  13,  16, 
17,  202;  improvement  of,  129,  134, 

3C>5- 
Cuyahoga  Steam  Furnace  Co.,  257. 

Daillon,  La  Roche,  4. 
Daly,  Charles,  93. 
Daly,  John,  216. 
Dangler,  David  A.,  405. 


INDEX. 


5(>5 


Darrow,  Nathan  B.,  103,  16S. 

149,     184;    settles    in    Cleveland, 

Davenport,  Samuel,  26. 

108-109. 

Davidson,  Benjamin,  94. 

Doan,  William  H.,  451,  466. 

Davidson,  C.  A.,  482. 

Doan's  Corners,  159,  246. 

Day,  John,  471. 

Dockstader,  B.  W.,  250. 

Day,  L.  W.,  462,  464. 

Dockstader,  Nicholas,  268, 

271,  272, 

Day,  William,  2S6. 

274,  276. 

Day,  Wilson  M.,  493,   530,  535, 

547- 

Dodds,  John,  313. 

550,     553,    555;    connection 

with 

Dodge,   George   C,    267,   2 

72,    440. 

Centennial,  520,  521,  525,  547. 

Dodge,    Henry    H.,    267,    2 

Si,    310, 

Dean,  William,   125-26. 

36S. 

Dean  and  McKinney,  270. 

Dodge,  Lewis,  339. 

Delameter,  John,  312. 

Dodge,  Ossian  E.,  386. 

Delaney,  William,  24S. 

Dodge,  S.  D.,  551. 

Delawares,  the,   124. 

Dodge,  Samuel,  126,  127,  13 

6,  160. 

Demmg,  George,  525. 

Dodge,  Wilson  S..  519. 

Denison,  Ch.,  242. 

Dover,  303. 

Dennis,  R.  B.,  2S3,  513. 

Dow,  Prentis,  341. 

Dental  School,  448. 

Do^de,  Alexander,  456. 

Detroit  road,  140. 

Doyle,  Anthony,  160. 

Detroit  street  float-bridge,  297. 

Draper,  Andrew  S.,  464. 

Devereux,  J.  H.,  454. 

Dubrey,  A.  H.,  311. 

Dewstoe,  Charles  C,  495. 

Dudle3%  Stephen,  177. 

Dibble,  Lewis,  245,  368. 

Duncan,  James,  186. 

Dickinson,  James  W.,  393. 

Dunham,  Timothy,  26. 

Dickman,  F.  J.,  86,  115,  359,  368. 

Dunlevy,  Frances,  113. 

Dille,  Asa,  150,  160. 

Dunn,  James,  526. 

Dille,  Lewis,  160. 

Dutton,  C.  F.,  554. 

Dille,  Lewis  R.,  229. 

Dutton,  Charles,  92. 

Dille,  Luther,  160. 

Duty,  F.  Jennie,  465. 

Dille,  Samuel,  154,  160,  16S,  174 

. 

Dilly,  David,  127. 

Eagle  Tavern,  294. 

Directory,  272,  292-93. 

Early  Settlers'  Association 

43S-40, 

Disasters,  432,  467-69,  50S-509. 

550-52,  534,  550. 

Dissette,  Mrs.  T.  K.,  526.  549. 

East  Cleveland,  337,  421. 

District  Court,  469. 

Eddy,  Ira,  229. 

Diver,  Daniel,  133. 

Eddy,  Zachariah,  247. 

Divorce,  152. 

Edge  water  Park,  418. 

Doan,  Job.  246,  471. 

Editors,    visit    during    Centennial, 

Doan,  John,  81-82,  109,  127,  290 

545-46- 

Doan,   Nathaniel,  27,  52,  6r,  62 

81, 

Education,  in  Ohio,  113-16. 

III,  121,  136,  143,  154;  judge. 

118; 

Education,    Board   of,    2S7, 

376-77, 

lieutenant,      120;      captain, 

126; 

464-65. 

opening    Cleveland    and    Huron 

Educational  and  Industrial 

Union, 

road,   140;  county  commissioner, 

404. 

150;  facts  about,  551. 

Edwards,  Henry,  154. 

Doan,  Sarah,  112,  114. 

Edwards,  John  S.,  152. 

Doan,  Seth.  154,  160,  168,  1S7. 

Edwards,  Rodolphus,  69,  90, 

96,  144. 

Doan,  Timothy,  118,   122,    126, 

135, 

150,    154,   174;  biographical  note, 

J66 


INDEX. 


6r;  constable,  ii8;  pro uest  against 
Capt.  Carter,  121. 

Edwards,  , William.  307,  359,  41 5. 
522,  525.  526. 

Eells,  Dan  P.,  454. 

Eells,  Airs.  Dan  P..  548. 

Eisenmann,  John,  477. 

Eldred,  Moses,  161. 

Eldridge,  Alonzo,  311. 

Eldndge,  David,  55-56. 

Eldridge,  Moses  A.,  272. 

Elections,  for  legislature,  95,  118; 
town,.  117-18;  military,  120,  126; 
city,  1836,  267;  1S37,  271;  1838, 
272;  1S40,  274;  1S53,  354-55;  presi- 
dential, 307-308 ;  State,  423. 

Elections,  Board  of,  472. 

Electricity,  430-32. 

Elivir,  William,  118. 

Ellsler,  John  A.,  426,  428. 

Elwell.  J.  J.,  495,  532-33.  551- 

Ely,  Heman  B.,  79,  277,  318,  332,  333. 

Elyria,  296. 

Emerson,  Frank  A.,  525. 

Emmett  Guards,  the,  433. 

English  traders.  Sec  French  and 
English  traders. 

Ensign,  Ira,  154. 

Enterprise,  the,  207. 

Episcopal  Church,  238,  315,  338. 

Epworth  League,  480. 

Erie,  collection  district  of,  128. 

Erie,  Lake,  2-3,  6,  134,  365. 

Erie  Lodge,  311. 

Erie  Street  Cemetery,  228. 

Eries,  the,  5. 

Errett,  Isaac,  453. 

Esch,  A.  J.,  462. 

Erwin,  — ,  285. 

Euclid,  49-50,  122,  158,  303. 

Euclid  avenue,  60,  236,  338. 

Euclid  Avenue  Congregational 
Church,  314. 

Euclid  Avenue  Opera  House,  426, 
428,  546. 

Euclid  street,  46. 

European  possessions  in  North 
America,  7. 

Evans,  J.  Ford,  433. 


Evarts,  Samuel,  161. 
Everett,  A.,  345,  405,  415. 
Everett,  Henry,  355. 
Everett,  Weddell  and  Co.,  345. 
Everitt,  Jeremiah,  168. 
Executions,  166-71,  474. 
Exports,  130. 

Fairbanks,  A.  W.,  511. 

Fairport,  319. 

Fairs,  agricultural,  340;  Ohio  State, 
405. 

Farmer,  Mrs.  Lydia  Hoyt,  549. 

Farmer's  Block,  2S2. 

Fee,  E.  B.,  357. 

Fen,  Richard,  150. 

Fence  viewers,  1803,  118. 

Ferry-boat,  provided  for,  270. 

Fessenden,  the  A.  P.,  revenue  cut- 
ter, built,  263. 

Fever  and  ague,  presence  of,  61,  62, 
67,  68. 

Fifteenth  regiment  Ohio  National 
Guards,  433. 

Finance,  law  for  cit}-  loan,  270 
resolution  to  raise  $50,000,  272 
report  of  committee,  1836,  273 
funds  realized  from  stocks,  364 
city  debt,  assets,  and  sinking 
fund,  505. 

Finch,  Banks,  151. 

Finney,  James  B.,  273,  275. 

Fire  Department,  232,  543;  public 
well  for,  155;  first  fire  engine, 
179;  chiefs  and  assistants,  1837- 
1852,  247-4S;  regular  companies 
organized,  247-50;  reorganized, 
248,  392-94;  ordinance  regulating, 
1836,  270;   chiefs,  1864-80,  392-93. 

Fire  Lands,  the,  19,  123. 

Fire  Lands  Company,  123,  126. 

Fire  Underwriters,  Board  of,  352. 

Fireman's  Insurance  Company,  341. 

Fires,  losses,  etc.,  467-69. 

First  Baptist  Church,  250-51. 

First   Cleveland   Troop,  organized, 

434- 
First  Congregational  Church,  259. 
First  National  Bank,  345. 


INDEX. 


J(>7 


( 


First  Presbyterian  Cliurch,  212-14, 

Franklin   .  and     Warren     Railroad 

314-  469- 

Company,  334. 

Fish,  Charles  L.,  471. 

Franklm  Circle  Park,  415. 

Fish,  Ebenezer,  161,  240. 

Franklin  House,  229,  246. 

Fish,  James,  239-40. 

Fraser,  J.  G.,  554. 

Fish,  Job,  203. 

Freeman,  Silas  C,  185. 

Fish,  Moses,  240. 

Freeman,  Zebulon  R.  S.,  161. 

Fisher,  Waldo  A.,  405. 

Fremont,  320. 

Fisheries,  Lake,  503. 

Freese,  Andrew,  282,  283,  289,  462. 

Fitch,  Abby,  282. 

French  and  English  traders,  7,  9. 

Fitch,  Gurdon,  267,  471. 

Friedrich,  F.,  529. 

Fitch,  Jabez  W.,  250,  446; 

[ire  chief, 

Fry,  Dr.,  286. 

248 ;  marshal,  36S ;  President  Hu- 

Fugitive Slave  Law,  387-S9. 

mane  Society,  410. 

Fulton,  Robert,  154. 

Fitch,  James,  354. 

• 

Fitch,  Miss  Sarah,  424. 

Gakberden,  Mrs.,  237. 

Fitzgerald,  J.  R.,  471. 

Gale,  Rodney,  446. 

Flagler,  Henry  M.,  391. 

Gallagher,  Michael,  354,  355. 

Flagstaff,  erected  on  Public  Square, 

•^Eardner,  George  W.,  283,  482. 

429. 

Gardner,  James,  355,  362. 

Flood  of  1883,  467. 

Gardner,  John,  471. 

Florists'  Club,  exhibition, 

552. 

Garfield,  Harry  A.,  520. 

Floyd,  T.  C,  247,  248. 

Garfield,  James  A.,  87,  451-56. 

Fogg,  William  Perry,  359, 

377,  398. 

Garfield,  Mrs.  James  A.,  548. 

399,  410,  512. 

Garfield  National  Monument  Asso- 

Foljambe, Samuel,  471. 

ciation,  454,  455. 

Food,  scarcity  of,  So-83. 

Garlick,  Abel  R.,  197. 

Foot,  John  A.,  251-52,  273, 

274,  275, 

Garretson,  George  A.,  434,  526. 

323.  35S. 

Garretson,  Hiram,  307. 

Foote,  Herschel,  192. 

Gas,  316. 

Foran,  Martm  A.,  509,  521 

525- 

Gas     Light    and    Coke    Company, 

Forbes,  Alexander,  463. 

316. 

Forbes,  Samuel,  26. 

Gates,  H.  N.,  349. 

Force,  C.  G.,  477. 

Gatling  Gun  Battery,  433,  546. 

Force,  Emory  W.,  49^? 
Forest  City  Bank,  ^7. 

Gaylor,  Charles  D.,  434. 

Gaylord,  Allen,  130,  154,  159,  161. 

Forest  City  Guards,  433. 

Gaylord,  E.  F.,  349. 

Forest    City    Insurance    Company, 

Gaylord,  Erastus,  147,  249. 

352. 

Gaylord,  L.  C,  294. 

Fort  Industry,  124. 

Gaylord,  William,  197. 

Fort  Stanwix,  g. 

Gaylord  Block,  355. 

Foster,  Charles,  427. 

Gazette  and  Commercial  Register, 

Foster,  Charles  B.,  454. 

209. 

Foster,    Miss    Hannah,    Centennial 

Gazlay,  R.  L.,  278. 

ode,  548. 

Gear,  Charles,  184. 

Fox,  S.  H.,  314. 

Geauga  County,  148. 

Founder's  Day,  534-45. 

Geer,  James,  133. 

Fourth  of  July,  1801,  no. 

Gelatt,  R.  B.,  516. 

Franklin,  Benjamin,  11. 

General  Quarter  Sessions,  92-94. 

5(>S 


INDEX. 


German  Fire  Insurance  Company, 

352- 
German  Guards,  292. 
German  Lutherans,  529. 
German  population,  259. 
German  Protestant  Church,  259,  529. 
Gibbons,  John  W.,  482. 
Gibson,  John  F.,  433. 
Giddings,  Charles  M.,  1S6,  226,  262. 
Giddings,  Mrs.  Charles,  237. 
Giddings,  Joshua  R.,  80. 
Giddings,    Baldwin   and  Company, 

235,  305- 
Gilbert,  Augustus,  126,  127,  149. 

Gilbert,  Levi,  529,  554. 

Gilbert,   Stephen,   61,   94,    118,   138, 

139'  154- 
Gill,  John,  247,  250,  325. 
Gillett,  George  E.,  333. 
Gilmore,  Orin,  229. 
Gilmore,  William,  13S,  139. 
Gilmour,  Bishop,  455. 
Gleason,   William  J.,   472,  494,  495, 

496,  526. 
Globe  Theatre,  427. 
Gold,  Benjamin,  120. 
Good  Intent,  the,  129. 
Good  Intent  Fast  Mail  Stage  Line, 

294. 
Gooding,  George,  26. 
Goodman,  Alfred  T.,  399,  401. 
•Goodspeed,  W.  F.,  433. 
•Goodwillie,  Thomas,  433. 
•Goodwin,  W.  T.,  310. 
■Gordon,   William  J.,   349,   355,   416, 

479- 
■Gordon  Park,  416-20. 

Government  Building,  509. 

Grace  Church,  315. 

Graduate  School,  44S. 

Grain,  8r,  82,  83. 

■Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  543. 

Grand  River,  10,  11,  79. 

Granger,  Gideon,  125,  129,  142. 

■Granger's  Hill,  239. 

Grannis,  John  C,  407. 

Graves,  Noah,  241. 

Gray,  A.  N.,  258,  512. 

Gray,  Francis,  26. 


Gray,  J.  W.,  258,  507,  512. 

Gray,  N.  A.,  282. 

Grab's,  Cleveland,  290-92,  307,  309. 

Grays'  Armory,  544,  549. 

Great  Western  (3il  Works,  explo- 
sion, 467. 

Great  Western  Railway- project,  317. 

Green,  Ebenezer,  160. 

Green,  Frederick  W.,  368. 

Green,  John  P.,  471. 

Green,  Philip,  229. 

Green  Spring  Academy,  448. 

Gries,  Rabbi  Moses  J.,  529,  550,  554, 
556. 

Griffin,  Mrs.  H.  A.,  526. 

Griffin,  the,  6,  200,  201. 

Griffith,  David,  365. 

Griffith,  Standart  and  Company, 
306. 

Grist-mill,  63. 

Griswold,  E.  R. ,  471. 

Griswold,  Hiram,  35S. 

Griswold,  Seneca  O.,  45,  46,  3S3,  422, 
423,  446;  on  Ohio  City  charter 
amendment,  2 89.  290. 

Griswold,  Stanley,  143,  146,  14S. 

Guilbert,  W.  D.,  525. 

Guilford,  Linda  T.,  548,  553. 

Gummage,  Captain,  349. 

Gun,  Mrs.  Anna,  50,  52. 

Gun,  Elijah,  50,  53,  55,  61,  118. 

Gunn,  Charles,  154,  16S. 

Gunn,  Christopher,  154,  168. 

Gunn,  Elijah,  Jr.,  154,  168. 

H.A.LCY()NISM,    130. 

Hale,  E.  B.,  345. 

Hale,  E.  B.,  and  Co.,  345. 

Halket,  James,  27. 

Hall,  Alfred,  271,  272. 

Hall,  Jabez,  453. 

Hall,  William  B.,  26,  51. 

Hamilton,  Chester,  154. 

Hamilton,  E.  T.  421. 

Hamilton,  James,  27,  iiS,  121,  154. 

Hamilton,  Justice,  154. 

Hamilton,  Samuel,  107,    154. 

Hamilton,  Samuel,  Jr.,  154. 

Hamilton,  Thomas,  160. 


INDEX. 


5(^9 


Hamter,  Hiram,  177. 

Hanchet,  Luke,  27,  153. 

Hand}-,  Parker,  344. 

Handy,  Truman  P.,  2S3,  2S6,  294, 
314,  348,  454,  479,  549,  551;  bank 
cashier  and  director,  186,  187,  262; 
incorporator  C.  &  U.R.  R.Co. ,  256; 
treasurer  C.,C.  &  C.  R.  R.,  323; 
president  Merchant's  National 
Bank,  341 ;  cashier  Commercial 
Branch  Bank,  342 ;  president  of 
Clearing  House,  347. 

Hanna,  Marcus  Alonzo,  42S,  525. 

Hanna,    Mrs.    Marcus   Alonzo,   526, 

549- 
Hanna,  Robert,  306. 
Harbach,  Frederick,  323,  333. 
Harberson,  Robert,  161. 
Harbor,  20S,  412-14. 
Harmon,  John,  130. 
Harmonic  Society,  294. 
Harper,  Rice,  31S. 
Harpersfield,  83. 

Harrington,  Benjamin,  249,  272,  507. 
Harris,  Andrew  L.,  521. 
Harris,  Mrs.  Josiah  A.,  550. 
Harris,  J.  A.,  275,  276,  511. 
Harris,  S.  D.,  405. 
Harris,  Thadeus  Mason,  16-17. 
Harris,  Thomas,  26. 
Harris,  W.  H.,  434. 
Harrison,  Benjamin,  455. 
Harrison,  William  Henry,  165,  309. 
Harrison  campaign,  1S40,  307-309. 
Hart,  Edward,  248. 
Hart,  Gad,  79. 
Hart,  Richard  AV.,  92. 
Hart,    Seth,  54,  55,  71,  72,  97. 
Hart,  William,  354. 
Hart  Guards,  the,  433. 
Hartford,  134. 
Hartz,  A.  F.,  469. 
Haserot,  S.  F.,  520. 
Haskell,  Daniel,  507. 
Hatch,  H.  R.,  360,  449-50,  525,  535- 
Hatch  Librar}-,  449-50. 
Hawkins,  Henry  C,  550. 
Hawley,   Ezekiel,  56,  63,  71,  75,  92, 
96,  118. 


Hawley,  "  Grandma,"  359. 

Hawley,  Joseph  R.,  535,  536,  541,  545. 

Hay,  John,  454,  455. 

Haydon,  Anson,  27S. 

Hayes,  Lester,  377, 

Hayes,  Rutherford  B.,  454,  455. 

Hayes,  Webb  C,  520. 

Hayes,  William,  216. 

Hayr,  James,  495. 

Hays,  Kaufman,  525. 

Haynes,  George  R.,  469. 

Hayward,  Nelson,  247,  250,  276. 

Hay  ward,  W.  H.,  393. 

Health,  Board  of,  179,  242-43. 

Heard,  C.  W.,  250. 

Heckewelder,  John,  13-16. 

Hecox,  Ambrose,  151. 

Heinmiller,  G. ,  530. 

Heisley,  John  W.,  368,  407,  421. 

Helman,  Byron  E.,  526. 

Henderson,  Darius  E.,  iSi. 

Henderson,  William  C,  229. 

Henry  Clay,  the,  243. 

Herrick,  Myron  T.,  465,  522. 

Herrick,  R.  R.,  482. 

Hebburn,  Morris,  268,  270. 

Herald,  the,  43,  209-10,  258,  348-49, 
350,  511-12. 

Herrick,  Stephen,  282. 

Hessenmueller,  Edward,  471. 

Hester,  George,  471. 

Hevvitt,  Isaac  L.,  349,  372. 

Hewitt,  J.  L.,  306. 

Hewitt,  Morgan  L.,  372. 

Hibernian  Fire  Insurance  Co.,  352. 

Hibernian  Guards,  the,  292. 

Hickox,  Abraham,  137-38,  153,  184. 

Hickox,  Charles,  339. 

Hickox,  F.  F.,  522. 

Hickox,  Lester  L. ,  405. 

Hickox,  Milo  H.,  237-38,  250. 

Hickox,  — ,  285. 

Highways,  212. 

Hill,  James,  248,  355,  392. 

Hilliard,  Richard,  177,  215-16,  265, 
268,  270,  322,  354,  366;  member 
Board  of  Trade,  339 ;  trustee  Ho- 
meopathic Hospital  College,  340. 

Hillman,  James,  15. 


570 


INDEX. 


Hills,  James,  162. 

Hoyt,  James  M.,  410. 

Hinckley,  Isaac,  240. 

Hubbel,  Ephraim,  154. 

Hinsdale,  Burke  Aaron,  464,  5  = 

>3- 

Hubbel,  Jedediah,  154. 

Hiram  College,  553. 

Hubby,  L.  M.,  339,  340. 

Historical  conferences,  553-54. 

Hubby,  Hughes  &  Co.,  306. 

Hitchcock,  Mrs.  P.  M.,  526. 

Hudson,  David,  93,  118. 

Hitchcock,  Peter,  146,  149,  152, 

167. 

Hudson,  W.  N.,  399. 

Hoadley,  Calvin,  168. 

Hudson,  122,  171,  327. 

Hoadly,  George,  269,  276,  283, 

471. 

Hudson  River,  134. 

Hoadly,  Mrs.  George,  237. 

Hughes,  J.  M.,  354. 

Hoadle5%  Lemuel,  168. 

Hughes,  Lemira  W.,  463. 

Hobart,  M.  M.,  359,  477. 

Hughes  and  Lester,  307. 

Hodge,   Orlando  J.,    290,    354, 

355, 

Hull,  William,  143. 

410,  525- 

Hulligan,  William  H.,  473. 

Hodge,  Mrs.  Orlando  J.,  526. 

Hull's  surrender,  157-59. 

Hoehm,  Henry,  473,  474. 

Humane  Society,  410-11. 

Holbrook,  Daniel,  53. 

Humphreys,  Henry,  522. 

Holden,  L.  Dean,  513. 

Hungerford,  Samuel,  26. 

Holden,    L.    E.,   359,   521,   525, 

526, 

Hunt,  Nathan,  296. 

530,    538;  president  Plain  Dealer 

Huntington,  H.  W.,  349. 

Publishing  Co.,  513. 

Huntington,    John,    421,    436,    479, 

Holden,  R.  R.,  513. 

510. 

HoUey,  John  Milton,   26,   28-30,  4ir 

Huntington,  Mrs.  John,  526. 

51-52,  65. 

Huntington,  Samuel,  92,  97-99,  104, 

Holly,  Alexander  H.,  41. 

117,  118,  125,  135,  136,  145;  govern- 

Holly, Alphonso,  154. 

or,     99;      judge,     130;     appoints 

Holly,  Ezekiel,  154. 

Senator  Griswold,  143  ;  visits  War 

Holly,  Lorin,  154. 

Department,     162;    aid    of    Gen. 

Holt,  Jeremiah,  314. 

Harrison,  165. 

Home  for  Aged  Women,  404. 

Huntington,  Mariette  Leek,  510. 

Home  for  Incurables,  404. 

Huntington,  Fort,  157,  163. 

Homeopathic  Hospital  College 

339. 

Hurd,  C.  W.,  247. 

340. 

Hm-lbut,  H.  B.,  344,  455,  509. 

Honey,  Mr.,  154. 

Hurlbut,  John  E.,  421. 

Hopkins,  Erastus,  358. 

Huron  County,  148. 

Hopkins,  Robert,  229. 

Huron  River,  140,  162. 

Horticultural  Society,  406. 

Huston,  George  B.,  433. 

Horton,  W.  P.,  359,  360. 

Hutchins,   John    C,    368,    403,   507, 

Hosmer,  Eben,  154,  181. 

525- 

Hospitality,  84-S5. 

Hutchinson,  Amos,  340. 

Hospitals,  163,  292,  405. 

- 

Hotels,  295,  316,  426. 

Ice  Age,  in  Ohio,  3. 

Houck,  George  F.,  554. 

Immigration,  to  Ohio,  76-79. 

Houghton,  Ross  C,  453. 

Inches,    Chloe,  72,  96. 

Howe,  Eben  D.,  204,  209-10. 

Independence,   population  in   1840, 

Howells,  J.  A.,  44. 

303- 

Howland,  Joseph,  92. 

Independence  Day,  first  celebration. 

Hoyt,  Charles,  257. 

33-35- 

Hoyt,  James  H.,  525,  535,  536, 

556. 

Indians,  in  Ohio,  S;  friendly,  50-51; 

INDEX. 


571 


council   to   settle   claims,    123-24; 

surrender  rights,  123. 
Indian  trails,  239. 
Industrial  School,  35S. 
Ingham,  Mrs.  W.  A.,  35(),   360,   424, 

526,  547,  548,  549,  554. 
Ingraham, Timothy,  274,  290-91,  310. 
Insane  Asylum,  349-51,  356-57. 
Insurance  Companies,  351-52. 
Internal   revenue   collections,   1S91, 

505- 
Iris  Lodge,  310. 

Iron  industry,  230-31,  303,  <669-73- 
Iroquois,  warfare,  5 ;  treaty,  9. 
Irwin,  William  W.,  152,  168. 
Israelitish     Church     Congregation, 

360. 
Italian  Hall,  427. 

Jackson,  Morris,  2S2. 

Jail,  166. 

James,  H.  M.,  462. 

James,  Jackson,  161. 

James,  John,  161. 

Jefferson  County,  60,  147,  14S. 

Jennings,  Anderson,  3S2. 

Jessup,  Major,  163,  165. 

Jewet,  Charles,  123. 

Jewett  and  Goodman  Organ  Com- 
pany, 353. 

Jewish  cemetery,  360. 

"John  Sherman,"  revenue  cutter, 
263. 

Johnson,  Benhu,  155. 

Johnson,  Benjamin-,  153. 

Johnson,  Eliza,  2S3. 

Johnson,  Mrs.  Grace,  230. 

Johnson,  L.  D.,  273. 

Johnson,  Levi,  155,  163,  168,  177, 
197,  207,  234;  biographical  sketch, 
144,  145 ;  builds  courthouse  and 
jail,  165;  launches  the  "Pilot," 
173;  incorporator  Cleveland  Pier 
Company,  iSi. 

Johnson,  Samuel  VV.,  20. 

Johnson,  Seth  W.,  262,  263. 

Johnson,  Tom  L. ,  380,  509. 

Johnson,  Sir  William,  9,  10. 

Jones,  Asa  W.,  525. 


Jones,  Benjamin,  168. 
Jones,  Cornelius,  229. 
Jones,  James  M.,  262,  368,  422,  423, 

510. 
Jones,  John  P.,  262,  283. 
Jones,  L.  H.,  464,  553. 
Jones,    Samuel,    iiS,    130,    153,    159, 

r6S,    169;  ensign   of   militia,    120; 

lieutenant,  126. 
Jones,  Thomas,  Jr.,  420,  ^^,o,  507. 
Joseph,  Moritz,  521. 
Judd,  Daniel  S.,  161. 
Junction  Railroad  Company,  3f)4. 
June,  Jennie.      Sec  Croly,  Mrs.  J.  C. 
Jurymen,  126,  127. 
Justices  of  the  Peace,  470. 

Kaquah-s,  4,  5. 

Keeler,  Harriet  L.,  462. 

Keith,  F.  C,  359- 

Keith,  Myron  R.,  404. 

Keller,  George,  455. 

Kelley,  Alfred,  129,  150,  151,  153, 
158,  192,  222,  223,  326;  sketch  of, 
146;  prosecuting  attorney,  149, 
215;  practices  in  Supreme  Court, 
153;  militia  ensign,  160;  O'Mic 
trial,  167;  president  of  village 
staff,  176;  brings  a  bride,  183-S4; 
director  Commercial  Bank,  1S6, 
187;  farm,  241;  city  allotment, 
265  ;  president  C,  C.  and  C.  R.  R., 
323;  director  C,  P.  and  A.  R.  R., 
332;  trustee  Kelley  art-fund,  510. 

Kelley,  Daniel,  176,  177;  incorpora- 
tor Pier  Compan3%  i8r;  postmas- 
ter, 507. 

Kelley,  Datus,  iSi,  229. 

Kelley,  Horace,  479,  510-11. 

Kelley,  Irad,  173,  181,  507. 

Kelley,  Joseph  R.,  173,  177. 

Kelley,  Jabez,  155. 

Kelley,  Madison,  258,  283. 

Kelley,  Moses,  273,  364. 

Kelley,  Thomas,  265. 

Kelsey,  Lorenzo  A.,  276. 

Kendall,  F.  A.,  360. 

Kendall,  Mrs.  F.  A.,  526. 

Kendall,  L^-man,  25G. 


572 


INDEX. 


Kennard  House,  36S. 

Kennedy,  Charles  E.,  513. 

Kent,  Roswell,  iS(). 

Kerruish,  W.  S.,  532. 

Kilbuck,  River,  9. 

Kilby,  John,  247. 

Kimball,  Abel,  333. 

King,  David,  186. 

King,  Ebenezer,  93. 

King,  George,  340. 

King,  Hezekiah,  168. 

King,  Stephen,  161. 

Kingsbury,  James,  96,  120,  154,  163, 
174,  1S8,  given  land,  52;  family 
ill,  55;  in  the  wilderness,  56-59; 
moves  to  Newburg,  59-60:  de- 
vises means  for  grinding  corn, 
62;  children  lost,  75;  buys  city 
lot,  92 ;  at  court,  93 ;  justice  of 
peace,  94;  death,  94;  trustee  and 
overseer,  118;  supervisor,  122; 
candidate  for  representative,  126; 
erects  mill,  127;  commissioner 
Navigation  lottery,  135 ;  enter- 
tains Commodore  Perry,  165;  in- 
corporator Pier  Co.,  181. 

Kingsbury,  Louisa,  282. 

Kingsbury  Run,  46. 

Kinney,  George  W. ,  520,  521,  525, 
526,  544. 

Kinney,  Thornton,  261. 

Kinsman,  Frederick,  328. 

Kinsman  street,  46,  60. 

Kirby,  Ephraim,  20. 

Kirk,  George,  249,  268,  271,  272. 

Kirkpatrick,  J.,  384. 

Kirtland,  JaredP. ,  124,  145,  312,405. 

Kirtland,  Turhand,  89-91,  93,  135. 

Klemm,  L.  R.,  462. 

Kline,  Virgil  P.,  407,  497. 

Knights  of  Pythias,  553. 

Knights  of  St.  John,  543. 

Knights  of  the  Golden  Horseshoe,  7. 

Knights  Templar,  455. 

Knowlton,  Lucinda,  230. 

Kolbe,  George  A.,  471. 

Lacey,  Thadeus,  121,  122. 
Ladd,  Rev.  H.  M.,  549. 


Ladies'  Tract  Society,  237. 

Lady  Provost,  The,  164. 

Lake,  L.,  353. 

Lake  County,  148. 

Lake  Erie.     See  Erie,  Lake. 

Lake  Erie  Telegraph  Company,  277. 

Lake  front,  289. 

Lake  Shore  and  Michigan  Southern 

Railroad,  330-34,  432,  434. 
Lake  Shore  and  Tuscarawas  Valley 

Railroad,  335. 
Lake  Shore  Company,  289. 
Lake  Shore  Foundry,  353. 
Lake  View  Cemetery,  361,  453.  455, 

456. 
Lake  View  Park,  415. 
Lamb,  D.  H.,  365. 
Lamson,  L  P.,  360. 
Landon,  Joseph,  27,  41,  50,  54,  61. 
Lane.  Henry,  93. 
Lane,  John,  124. 
Laphain,  J.,  311. 
La  Salle,  Rene  de,  5,  6. 
Lauterman,  John,  160. 
Law  School,  448. 
Lawrence,  James,  532. 
Lawrence,  W.  E.,  247. 
Lawyers,  145,  146,  471. 
Leach,  James,  150. 
Leader,  the,  history  of,  513-15. 
Lee,  Guy,  161. 
Leggett,  ]\L  D.,  403,  495. 
Legislature,  Territorial,  117. 
Leland,  C.  T. ,  406. 
Lemen,  Tom,  233. 
Lemmon,  T.,  247. 

Lemon,  William,  226,  233,  234,  262. 
Leonard,  William -A.,   bishop,  455, 

528. 
Lepper,  C.  W. ,  345. 
Leslie,  Jonathan,  103. 
Lester,  S.  F.,  306. 
Letter  Carriers'  Association,  543. 
Lewis,  James,  150. 
Libraries,  287,  311,  316,  399,  401,  402, 

403,  449-50. 
Library  Association,  315. 
Light  Artillery,  291,  438. 
Light  Horse,  290. 


INDEX. 


573 


Lighthouse.  234. 

Lights,  271. 

Lincoln,  Abraham,  394. 

Lincoln,  Mrs.  Annette  PheljDS,  550. 

Lind,  Jenny,  263. 

Lippitt.  Charles  Warren.  555,  556. 

Lister,  1S03,  11 8. 

Little,  Dave.  246. 

Lock,  John,  27. 

Logan,  Andrew,  209. 

Log-cabin,  531-34. 

Log-cabins  of  1840,  307,  308. 

Lohrer,  Jacob  J.,  473. 

Long,  David,  128,  129,  153,  177,  197, 
1S4,  227,  241,  242,  249,  294;  bio- 
graphical sketch,  146-47;  in  Sec- 
ond Presbyterian  Church,  314;  di- 
rector Conimercial  Bank  of  Lake 
Erie,  187;  with  Cleveland  Pier 
Company,  181;  trusteeship,  176; 
owner  of  O'Mic's  skeleton,  171. 

Long,  Mrs.  David,  158,  237. 

Lorain  County,  148. 

Lord,  Richard,  241,  257,  365. 

Lord,  Samuel.  92. 

Lord,  Samuel  P.,  238,  241. 

Lord  and  Barber,  240,  241. 

Lothmann,  W.  H.,  529. 

Lottery,  Cuyahoga  and  Muskingum 
Navigation,  135.  136. 

Loveland,  Amos,  77. 

Lowman,  Jacob,  250. 

Lowman,  John  H.,  479,  510. 

Ludlow,  A.  C,  554. 

Luetkemeyer,  H.  W. ,  393,  436. 

Lumber-yard  fires,  468. 

Lutheran  Church,  529. 

Lyceum,  294. 

Lynde,  George  W. ,  471. 

Lyon,  Harvey,  241. 

Lyon,  Richard  T..  283,  306,  339,  412. 
440. 

Lyon,  S.  S.,  247. 

McAi.PiNK,  W.  J.,  455. 
McBarron,  P.  A.,  292. 
McCartney,  Edward,  140. 
McCaskey,  George,  230. 
McClure,  Samuel  G.,  521,  525. 


McConkey,  William,  i6r. 

McCurdy,  Captain,  247. 

Machol,  M.,  554. 

Mcllrath,  Thomas,  151,  161. 

Mcintosh,  A.,  325,  354,  362. 

Mcintosh,  George  T.,  522. 

Mclntyre,  Joseph,  26. 

Mack,  John  T.,  545. 

McKay,  George  A.,  433. 

McKinley,  William,  455,  535,  541, 
545,  547;  at  dedication  of  Soldiers' 
Monument,  497;  Honorary  Presi- 
dent Centennial  Commission,  521; 
address  on  Founder's  day,  538-40. 

McKinley,  Mrs.  William,  549. 

McKinnie,  W.  J..  410. 

McKisson,  Robert  E.,  493,  529,  530- 

31,  532,  535,  54S,  549,  552,  556, 
President  Centennial  Commis- 
sion, 521,  525. 

McLean,  William,  194. 

McMillin,  F.  C,  477. 

Magee,  James,  328. 

Maiden  Lane,  45. 

Mail  route,  1801,  127-28;  to  Detroit, 
140;  eastward,  141;  to  Pittsburg, 
141-42. 

Manhattan,  319,  320 

Manchester,  Charles  E.,  555. 

Manchester,  D.  U.,  4S3. 

Mandrake  street,  42. 

Manufactures,  502 ;  chief  plants  in 
1837,  292. 

Marietta,  92-93,  113. 

Marine  Hospital,  405. 

Markets,  179.  233;  Michigan  street 
market,  273;  in  1837,  292.  See 
also  Central    Market. 

Marshal,  city,  1815,  176. 

Marshall,  George  F.,  323,  355,  519, 
521,  550;  resolution  on  Woodland 
Cemetery,  360-61 ;  speech  Log- 
Cabin  day.  533-34- 

Mason,  Asa,  26. 

Mason,  James,  406. 

Mason,  Samuel,  250. 

Masonic  organizations,  310-11. 

Masury,  Joseph.  359. 

Maternal  Association,  294. 


574 


INDEX. 


Mather,  Samuel,  525. 

Milan  state  road,  140. 

Mather,  Sami:el,  Jr.,  20. 

Miles,  Charles,  154. 

Mather,   Samuel  H.,   2S3,   314, 

342, 

Miles,  Daniel,  154. 

343- 

Miles,   Erastus,    130,    150,    151,    154, 

Mather,  Samuel  L.,  372. 

174,  187. 

Mather,  Thomas,  54. 

Miles,  Samuel,  154,  16S. 

Matthews,  Gov.  of  West  Va.,  438. 

Miles,  Theodore,  154. 

May,  George,  352. 

Miles,  Thompson,  154. 

Maj-,  P.,  242. 

Milford,  William,  275,  339. 

Mayfield,  population,  1840,  303 

Military  organizations,  119-20,  160- 

Maynard,  Allyne,  377,  44(1. 

61,  290-92,  433-38. 

Mayors,   1841-96,  276-77;  1866, 

398; 

Mill  Creek,  130. 

1888,  477;  1891,  4S2. 

Miller,  Asher,  92. 

Mechanics'  Hall,  427. 

Miller,  H.  T.,  404. 

Meckes,  John,  522,  525. 

Miller,  J.  K.,  271. 

Medical  College,  311,  340. 

Miller,  Madison,  471. 

Medical  School,  44S,  450. 

Miller,  Thomas,  340. 

Medical  Societies,  407. 

Miller,  Thompson,  177. 

Medill,  Joseph,  514. 

Miller,  Atty.-Gen.,  455. 

Medina  Count}-,  148. 

Miller,  William  E.,  509. 

Meigs,  Gov.,  163. 

Mills,  Charles  S.,  536. 

Mellen,  L.  F.,  359,  554. 

Mills,  I.,  123. 

Melodeon  Hall.    Sec  Globe  Theatre. 

Mills,   Joshua,  on  Board  of  Health, 

Menompsy,  74-75,  119. 

242 ;  alderman,   268 ;  president  of 

Menough,  Samuel,  93. 

Council,  271 ;  mayor,  272,  273,  276; 

Mercantile  houses,   304-307;  w 

lole- 

sketch  of,  274-75. 

sale  sales  for  1892,  503. 

Miner,  Daniel,  151. 

Mercantile  Insurance  Co.,  352. 

Mineral  spring,  295. 

Mercantile  National  Bank,  341- 

-42. 

Minerva,  the,  207. 

Merchant,  Ahaz,  234,  256. 

Mingus,  Jacob,  161. 

Merchants'  Branch  Bank,  341. 

Minor,  Isaac,  222. 

Merchants'  National  Bank,  341. 

Minor,  John,  93. 

Meriam,  J.  B.,  466. 

Mitchell,  Jacob,  247. 

Meriam  and  Morgan,  467. 

Mohawk,  John,  133. 

Merriam,   Governor  of   Minn., 

535, 

Mohawks,  31-32. 

541- 

Molyneaux,  Joseph  B.,  495. 

Merwin,  George  B.,  207,  271. 

Monroe  Street  Cemetery,  361. 

Merwin,   Noble    H.,    1S2,    207, 

225, 

Montpelier,  A.,  428. 

235,  305- 

Monuments,  383-386,  494-97. 

Merwin's  Tavern,  236. 

Mooney,  Barney,  355. 

Methodist   Episcopal   Church, 

229- 

Moravian  missionaries,  13-16. 

30,  238. 

Morey,  — ,  153. 

Meyer,  Edward  S.,  434,  466,  48: 

>. 

Morgan,  Caleb,  154. 

Miami  street,  45. 

Morgan,  Charles,  474. 

Michael,  A.  J.,  417-18. 

Morgan,  Eli  P.,  306,  314. 

Midas  Insurance  Company,  352 

. 

Morgan,   Heniy,  276. 

Middle     Highway.        Sec     Euclid 

Morgan,  Isham,  154-56,  159- 

street. 

Morgan,  John,  20. 

Middleburg,  303. 

Morgan,  William  J.,  465. 

INDEX. 


575 


Morgan,  Y.  L. ,  Sr. ,  153-54- 

Morgan,  Y.  L.,  Jr.,  154,  159. 

Morgan  family,  77,  7S. 

Morison,  David,  4S2. 

Morly,  Ezekiel,  27,  66. 

Morning  Recorder,  the,  516. 

Morning  Star,  the,  loss  of,  407. 

Morris,  F.  H.,  526. 

Morrow,  James  B.,  515,  525. 

Morrow,  Jeremiah,  222. 

Morse,  B.  F.,  437,  477. 

Morton,  Daniel  O.,  36S. 

Morton,  L.  P.,  455. 

Morton,  W.  A.,  355. 

Moss,  Simeon,  160. 

Mound-builders,  3-4,  155-56. 

Mourey,  Plinney,  16S. 

Municipal  government,    1S51,    354; 

Federal  plan,  475,  4S0-82. 
Munsees,  surrender,  124. 
Munson,  Titus  Y.,  27,  51. 
Murray,  Ebenezer,  140. 
Murray,  Elias,  147,  153. 
Murray,     Harvey,     147,     153,     160, 

168. 
Murray  and  Bixby,  139. 
Museum  in  Kelley  Block,  427. 
Music  Hall,  428,  451. 
Muskingum  River,  11. 
Mutual   Fire   Insurance   Company, 

351- 
Myers,  Daniel,  525. 
Mygatt,  George,  349,  35S. 

National  Bank  Building,  342. 
National  Bank  of  Commerce,  344. 
National  City  Bank,  341. 
National  Centennial  Year,  the,  429, 

430. 
Navigation,  264. 
Naff,  Peter,  485.  • 
Neflf,  Mrs.  Lizzie  Hyer,  526. 
Neff,  William  A.,  421. 
Negro,  the,  260,  261,  276. 
Nelson's  Ledges,  2. 
Neuter  Nation.     Sec  Kakquahs. 
New  England  Society  of  Cleveland, 

358,  359.  360,  545. 
New  France,  6. 


New  York,  Chicago  and  St.  Louis 
Railroad,  337. 

Newberry,  Henry,  231. 

Newburg,  Roger,  20. 

Newburg,  39,  60,  63,  64,  127,  241; 
claims  for  county  seat,  149;  or- 
ganized township,  174;  South 
Presbyterian  Church  organized, 
241;  population  in  1S40,  303;  In- 
sane Asylum,  369;  Rolling  mill, 
369;  annexation,  421. 

Newspapers,  209,  210,  258,  259,  510- 
18. 

Niagara  Falls,  30. 

Nicksau,  killed  by  Williams  and 
Darrow,  133. 

Nicola,  Felix,  471. 

Ninth  New  York  Regiment  Band. 
See  Conterno's  Ninth  Regiment 
Band. 

Noble,  Henry  L.,  186,  247,  267,  268, 
271,  27S. 

North  Brooklyn  Cemetery,  360. 

North  Highway.  Sec  St.  Clair 
street. 

Northern  Ohio  Fair  Association, 
405,  406. 

Northern  Ohio  Poultr}-  Association, 
406. 

Norton,  Captain,  243-44. 

Norton,  Eliphas,  127. 

Norton,  Elisha,  107,  iig,  127,  128. 

Norton,  Minor  G. ,  521,  525. 

Nottingham,  Henry,  405. 

Noyes,  Samuel,  161. 

OBERLIN-Wellington  rescue  cases, 
3S2,  383- 

Odd  Fellows,  311,  543. 

Odell,  John,   355. 

Odell,  Samuel  W. ,  311. 

Ogden,   Benjamin,  161. 

Oglebay,  E.  W!,  525. 

Ogontz  place,  124. 

Ohio,  archaeology,  2-4;  occupation 
by  Indians,  7,  8 ;  English  in,  8, 
10,  11;  French  in,  9;  proposed 
water  route  through,  11;  Craig's 
expedition,  11-13;  Heckewelder's 


57  (^ 


INDEX. 


map  and  description,  13-16;  im- 
migration, 76-79;  education,  113- 
16;  admitted  to  the  Union,  117. 

Ohio  Canal,  222-26. 

Ohio  Canal  packets,  294. 

Ohio  City,  266,  2S9,  290,  292,  295, 
338;  annexed  to  Cleveland,  361- 
65;  list  of  mayors,  1836-1S53,  365. 

Ohio  Company,  8. 

Ohio  National  Bank,  345. 

Ohio  National  Guard,  433,  530,  531, 

542,  552. 
Ohio  Railroad  Company,  319,  320. 
Ohio  River,  9,  56,  294. 
Old  Harmony,  12. 
Old  Salt  Road,  So. 
Old  Stone  Church,  212-14. 
Old  Trmity  Church,  236. 
Olmstead,   303. 
Olmsted,  Aaron,  150. 
Olney,  Mrs.   C.  F.,  360. 
O'Mic,  John,  119,  154,  1G6-71. 
Ontario,  41,  45. 
Orange  township,  148,  303. 
Osborn,  E.  W..  516. 
Otis,  Charles  A.,  369,  393. 
Otis,  Waldemar,  406,  428. 
Otis,  William  A.,  277,  314,  339,  342, 

364- 
Otis  Iron  Works,  303. 
Ottawas,  the,  124. 
Outhwaite,  John,  247,  372. 
Overseers  of  the  Poor,  1803,  118. 
Oviatt,  Heman,  186. 
Oviatt,  L.  M.,  289,  402,  462. 
Oviatt,  O.   M.,  3S4. 

Paige,  David  R. ,  333. 

Paine,  Charles  C,  318. 

Paine,    Edward,    50,    53,   94,  95,  96, 

117. 
Paine,  Robert  P.,  79,  87-S8,  339,  368, 

516. 
Painesville,  50,  53. 
Painter,  John,  V.,  510. 
Palmer,  C.  W.,  3 87. 
Palmer,  Courtland,  216. 
Palmer,  Isaac,  93. 
Panic  of  1S37,  302. 


Pankhurst,  John  P.,  41S,  521. 

Pannell,  James,  429. 

Paris,  Treaty  of,  1763,  8. 

Parish,  Jasper,  123. 

Park,  Moses,  93. 

Park  Theatre,  468. 

Parker,  Charles,  27. 

Parker,  Daniel,  130. 

Parkman,  Robert  B.,  150,  152. 

Parkman,  Samuel,  92. 

Parks,     415-21,    Rockefeller's    gift, 

537-3S- 

Parma,  303. 

Parsons,  Richard  C,  288,  355,  358, 
359,  532,  535.  550;  ordinance  on 
union  with  Ohio  City,  363 ;  presi- 
dent of  Council,  365  ;  sketch  of, 
412-13;  president  Early  Settlers' 
Association,  440  ;  congressional- 
representative,  509;  connection 
with  the  Herald,  512  ;  Centennial 
offices,  520,  521. 

Parsons,  Samuel  H,  19. 

Parsons,  Usher,  386. 

Passing  of  the  Century,  the,  544. 

Pavements,  early  plank,  311. 

Payne,  Henry  B.,  132,  285,  323,  326, 
354,  364,  453,  454,  479;  commis- 
sioner Commercial  Bank,  187  ; 
sketch  of,  259;  city  clerk,  269;  re- 
signed as  city  clerk,  271;  tele- 
graph resolution,  277;  common 
school  resolution,  2S4 ;  director  C. 
C.  &  C.  R.  R.,  322;  Water  Works 
Commissioner,  366  ;  presides  at 
Cleveland  Bar  banquet,  368 ;  vice- 
president  Union  Club,  407  ;  harbor 
appropriation,  413 ;  commissioner, 
421 ;  congressional  representative, 
509. 

Payne,  Nathan  P.,  377. 

Payne,  Oliver  H.,  405. 

Pajme's  Meadows,  553. 

Pease,  Seth,  93-94;  surveys  land,  41 ; 
prepares  map,  52;  on  committee 
of  partition,  53  ;  in  charge  of 
funds,  54;  sketch  of,  66,  67;  jour- 
nal of,  68. 

Pease,  S.,  242. 


INDEX. 


57T 


Pease,  Sheldon,  339. 

Pillsbury,  J.  W.,  355. 

Pease,  Sylvester,  247,  270. 

Pioneer  Fast  Stage  Line,  £94. 

Pease's  Hotel,  42. 

Pittsburg,  124,  141,  294. 

Peck,  E.  M.,  263. 

Plain  Dealer,  94;  origin,  258;  bank- 

Peck  and  Masters,  263. 

failures,  348;  history  of,  512-13. 

Peet,  David,  241. 

Plumb,  Joseph,  139. 

Peet,  Elijah,  230. 

Plunder  law,  31 8,  320. 

Peets,  Stephen,  173. 

Plymouth    Congregational  Church,. 

Pelton,  F.  W.,  436. 

353.  359- 

Pelton,  Jonathan,  184. 

Poe,  Edward  W.,  521. 

Pennsylvania,  the,  253. 

Polemic  Association,  294. 

Perdue,  Eugene  H.,  515. 

Police    Commissioners,    appointed,. 

Periodicals  published  in  1S92,  506. 

397-98- 

Perkins,    Edwm    R.,    359,    399,   402, 

Police  court,  established,  354;  first 

479,  510. 

session,  355-56. 

Perkins,  Jacob,    328,  329. 

Police  Life  and  Health  Fund,  430. 

Perkins,  Joseph,   344,  359,  453,  454, 

Police  station  house,  356. 

455;  buys   city   lot,    92;   Western 

Pollock,  D.,  313. 

Reserve    Historical  Society,   399 ; 

Pomeroy,  Charles  S. ,  453. 

charities,  404 ;  president  City  Hos- 

Pomeroy, Ralph  M.,  150. 

pital,    405  ;    advisory   committee. 

Pope,  Alton,  405. 

466. 

Pope,  E.  C,  466. 

Perkins,  J.  B.,  530. 

Population,  in  directory,   1837,  292;. 

Perkins,  Mrs.  Sarah  M.,  548. 

1850,  353- 

Perkins,  Simon,  93,  162. 

Port  Independence,  34,  39. 

Perry,   Horace,  153,    176,     181,   215, 

Portage  County,  79,  148. 

256. 

Porter,  Augustus,  26,  41,  47,  67. 

Perry,  Horatio,  168. 

Porter,  Robert  P.,  498-99,  518. 

Perry,  Nathan,  Sr.,  131,  138,  149. 

Porter,  Wells,  471. 

Perry,  Nathan,  Jr.,  131-32,  176. 

Portsmouth,  294. 

Perry,  Nathan,  136,   153,  163,  249. 

Post,  James,  318. 

Perry,  Oliver,  323. 

Post-Office,    established,    127  ;     re- 

Perry, Oliver  Hazard,  165,  386,  555. 

ceipts,    129;  1812-1813,   141;  1835, 

Perry  Monument,   erection,  3S3-86; 

262;  statistics,  1890,  1895,  506-507. 

moved  to  Wade  Park,  494. 

Postmasters,  1805-1896,  507. 

Perry's  Victory  day,  554-56. 

Pottawattomies,  124. 

Pettingill,  C.  B.,  410. 

Potter,  Lyman,  124. 

Phelps,  George,  93. 

Pratt,  F.  B.,  377. 

Phelps,   Henry,  318. 

Prentice,  Mrs.  N.  B.,  526. 

Phelps,  Oliver,  20,  33,  92. 

Prentice,  Robert,   161. 

Phelps,  Samuel  W.,  92,  150,  152. 

Prentiss,  Cyrus,  326,  327. 

Philpott,  John,  471. 

Presbyterian    Church,   212-14,    238,. 

Phinney,  Mrs.  Ellen  J.,  548. 

314- 

Phoenix  Lodge,  311. 

Presley,  Mrs.  George,  Jr.,  526. 

Piatt,  John  J.,  536-37. 

Press,     evolution     from      "  Penny 

Pickans,  Rev.  Dr.,  298. 

Press,"  515-16. 

Piexotto,  Daniel  L.  M.,  312. 

Preston,  i\Iiles,  541. 

Pilgerruh.     See  Pilgrim's  Rest. 

Price,  David,  429. 

Pilgrim's  Rest,  13. 

Price,  W.  H.,  402. 

578 


INDEX. 


Probate  Court  of  Cuyahoga  County, 

Reed,  David,  161. 

356. 

Reede,  JohnS. ,  150,  151. 

Proctor,  John  C,  359. 

Reefer,  M.   C,  516 

Prohibition,   constitutional    amend- 

Reese, Charles  S.,  377. 

ment,  465. 

Reese,  H.  J.,  318. 

Prosecuting  attorney,  iSio,  149. 

Reiley,  Robert,  310,  355,  362. 

Prospect  street,  179,  233. 

Religion,  in  Cleveland,  102,  105-107. 

Prosser,  D  ,  3 58. 

Residence  Fire  Insurance  Company, 

Protestant  Orphan  Asylum,  357. 

352. 

Proudfoot,  George,  26. 

Retreat,  founded,  404. 

Proudfoot,  James,  355. 

Reutenik,   H.  J.,  554. 

Proudfoot,  John,  250. 

Reveley,  Ellen  G.,  463. 

Proudfoot,  Joseph,  247. 

Reynolds,  Dan  F.,  Jr.,  52. 

Public  Library,   399;  building,  2S7; 

Rhodes,  Charles  L.,  446. 

established,   401 ;  dedication,  402  ; 

Rhodes,  C.  S.,  364. 

statistics,  1895,  403. 

Rhodes,    Daniel  P.,    2S3,    345,    373, 

Public  Square,   first  park,   41  ;    de- 

377- 

scribed  in  Spafford's  minutes,  45  ; 

Rhodes,  J.  H.,  454. 

improvement,   275  ;  enclosing  of, 

Rice,  Harvey,  85,   195-96,  383,   386, 

368-69. 

471;  plea  for  school  system,  286; 

Pugh,  — ,  326. 

Perry  Monument  committee,  384; 

Purdy,  Nelson,  398. 

Workhouse   director,    415;    presi- 

Put-in-Bay  Island,  555. 

dent  Early  Settlers'  Association, 

QuAYLE  and  Martin,  263. 

440. 
Rice,  Olney  F.,  27,  51. 

Qv:ayle  and  Moses,  263. 

Rice,  Perry  W.,  483. 

Queen  Charlotte,  capture  of  the,  164. 

Rice,  Walter  P.,  477. 

Quimby,  Ephraim,  118. 

Richardson,  Henry,  433. 

■Quimby,  Samuel,  93. 

Richardson,  James  M.,  525. 

Richardson,  William  R. ,  294-95. 

Radcuff,  John  R.,  247. 

Richmond,  Thomas,  318. 

Ragged  School,  35S. 

Richmond,  319. 

Railroads,  early  projects,  317-37. 

Rickoff,  Andrew  J.,  377,  462-64. 

Railroad  Rolling  Mill,  369. 

Riddle,  Albert  G.,  383,  387,  509. 

Randall,  John,  177. 

Riddle,  John,  176. 

Ranney,    Henry   C,   479,   483,   485, 

Risley,  Hart,  172. 

509,  510. 

Risley,  Luke,  257. 

Rappe,  Bishop  Amadeus,  357,  361. 

Ritchie,  Ryerson,  521. 

Raymond,  Samuel,  306,  340. 

River  Street  Friendly  Inn,  425. 

Reading    Room    Association,     292, 

Riverside  Cemetery,  361,  430. 

294. 

Roads,  140,  295. 

Real  estate,  reports  1891,  504-505. 

Robbins,  Thomas,  106-107. 

Recorder,  county,  18 10,  130. 

Robert  Fulton,  the,  263. 

Recorder,  town,  1815,  176. 

Roberts,  Edward  A.,  525. 

Red  House,  241. 

Robertson,  George  A.,  516-17. 

Red  Jacket,  32,  131. 

Robinson,  Jere  E.,  398. 

Redhead,  William,  355. 

Robison,  J.  P.,  405,  421,  453. 

Redick,  D.,  152. 

Robison  and  Cockett,  517. 

Redmgton,  Eliphalet,  iiS. 

Rockefeller,   John  D.,   454,  466,  oil 

INDEX. 


579 


refinery,  391 ;  presents  park  lands, 

St.  Joseph's  Roman  Catholic  Ceme- 

419; Centennial  gift,  537-3S. 

tery,  360. 

Rockport,  303. 

St.  Mary's  Cemetery,  361. 

Rocky  River,  13S-39. 

St.  Mary's  on  the  Flats,  303. 

Roentgen,  J.  H.  C,  530. 

St.  Paul's  Episcopal  Church,  315. 

Rogers,  Augustus,  509. 

St.  Vincent's  Orphan  Asylum,  357. 

Rogers,  Robert,  in  Ohio,  1760,  10. 

Saloons,  271,  272,  274,  275,  465;  vis- 

Rolling Mill  Company,  369-71. 

ited  in  Woman's  Crusade,  424-25. 

Root,  A.   P.,  462. 

Salt,  difficulty  of  obtaining,  80. 

Root,  Ephraim,  92. 

Salaries  of  Cleveland  officials,  1837, 

Root,  James,  160. 

271;  1841,  276. 

Rosa,  L.  K.,  339. 

Sandusky,  9,  11. 

Rosa,  Storm,  318,  339. 

Sanford,  A.  S. ,  43,  247,  292. 

Rose,  William  G.,  435,  482. 

Sanford,  Elijah,  250. 

Rose,  Mrs.  W.  G.,  526,  549. 

Sanford,  Peleg  P.,  333. 

Rose,  W.  R.,  477. 

Sanford  and  Lott,  292. 

Ross,  Captain,  290-91. 

Sargeant,  Levi,  186. 

Rouse,  Benjamm,  236,  267,  358. 

Sargent,  H.  Q.,  359,  360,  521,  525- 

Rouse,  Bethesda,  113. 

Sargent,  John  H.,  198,  282,  323,  399, 

Rouse,  E.  C,  250,  405. 

415- 

Rouse,  Mrs.  Rebecca  Cromwell,  235 

Sartwell,  Levi,  249. 

-37- 

Savings  and  Loan  Association,  346. 

Rouse  Block,  237. 

Sec   also   Citizens'    Savings   and 

Royalton,  303. 

Loan  Association;  People's  Sav- 

Ruetenik, Herman  J.,  529. 

ings  and  Loan  Association,  etc. 

Ruggles,  Benjamin,  148. 

Savings  and  Trust  Company,  345. 

Ruker,  Daniel,  122. 

Sawtel,  Amos,  26. 

Rusk,  Secretary,  455. 

Second  National  Bank,  342,  344. 

Russell,  C.  L.,  298. 

Second  Presbyterian  Church,  314. 

Russell,  Elijah,  172. 

Seizer,  Mr.,  353. 

Russell,  Elisha,  172. 

Seneca,  Indian  chief,  50-51,  133. 

Russell,  Hiram,  168. 

Senecas,  the,  31-32. 

Russell,  Jacob,  77,  172. 

Sessions,  A.,  126. 

Russell,  Mrs.  L.  A.,  526,  548. 

Sessions,  S.  W.,  465. 

Russell,  Ralph,  172. 

.Settlers'    Association.      See    Early 

Russell  township,  148. 

Settlers'  Association. 

Severance,  Mrs.  Mary  H.,  128. 

Saal,  George,  398. 

Severance,  T.  C,  341. 

Sabin,  William,  247. 

Sewall,  Mrs.  May  Wright,  549. 

Sackett,  Alexander,  305. 

Sexton,  Henry,  281,  314. 

Sackrider,  C.  W.,  399. 

Seywert,  A.,  292. 

Saengerfest,  nineteenth,  425. 

Schenck,  J.  C,  398. 

Sager,  William,  82. 

Schneider,  J.  H.,  472. 

St.  Clair,  Governor,  95,  117. 

Schofield,  General,  455. 

St.  Clair  street,  4(j,  60. 

Schools,  112-16,  127,  173,  190-95,  375- 

St.  John,  Dr.,  242. 

78,  443-44;   common  schools  con- 

St. John,  John  R.,  247,  268. 

sidered,  270;  ordinance  to  estab- 

Saint John's  Cathedral,  338. 

lish,  272  ;   beginning  and  growth 

Saint  John's  Episcopal  Church,  259. 

of  public  schools,    277-89;    high 

_S8o 


INDEX. 


schools  established,  283-89;  di- 
plomas from  expositions,  463,  464; 
Centennial  historical  conference, 

553-54- 
Schub,  David,  355. 
Schubert  Mandolin  Club,  549. 
Schwab,  Mrs.  M.  B.,  526,  548. 
Schwan,  Paul,  529. 
Scofield,  Levi  T.,  446,  447,  495. 
Scott,  Abraham,  1S4. 
Scott,  George  D.,  433. 
Scott,  M.  B.,  399,  405- 
Scovill,  E.  A.,  446. 
Scovnll,  Philo,  231,  246,  249. 
Scowden,  T.  R.,  366. 
Scranton,  Joel,  212,  249,  323. 
Scranton,  Mrs.  Joel,  237. 
Scripps,  E.  W.,  515. 
Shadrick,  Parker,  161. 
Shaker  Heights  Park,  41S-19. 
Shaker  Mill,  365. 
Shakespeare  saloon,  292. 
Shaw,  William,  92. 
Shawnees,  the,  124. 
Shearman,  Dyer.     See  Sherman. 
Sheldon,  Benjamin,  365. 
Sheldon,  Maria,  283. 
Sheldon,  Martin,  92. 
Sheldon,  Reuben,  341. 
Sheldon,  S.  H.,  305. 
Sheldon,  Samuel  L.,  332. 
Sheldon,  Thomas,  89,  266. 
Shelhouse,  Martin  G.,  160. 
Shepard,  Wareham,  26. 
Shephard,  Phineas,  1S4. 
Shepherd,  Theodore,  42,  54,  71. 
Sheriff,  1810,  149;  1823,  215. 
Sherman,  Dyer,   154,  168. 
Sherman,  Isaac,  471. 
Sherman,    John,    535,    540-41,    545. 

552. 
Sherman,  William  T.,  455. 
Sherwin,  H.  A.,  525. 
Sherwin,  N.  B.,   359,  360,  507,  526, 

545- 
Sherwood,  Mrs.  Kate  Brownlee,  549. 
Sherwood,  W.  E.,  477.  ^;; 
Shier,  John,  270. 
vShipbuilding,  139,  144-45,   172.  202, 


207-208,  358;  from  1835  to  1S69, 
262-63 ;  first  iron  ship,  407. 

Ship  channel,  365. 

Shirtz,  John,  168. 

Sholes,  Stanton,  163-64. 

Sholl,  William  H.,  355,  446. 

Shorb,  John,  135. 

Shulay,  Daniel,  27. 

Shut,  David,  355. 

Silberg,  Captain,  292. 

S      mons,  Thomas,  455. 

Simmons,  W.  R.,  355. 

Simpson,  Alexander,  139. 

Six  Nations,  the.     See  Iroquois. 

Sizer,  H.  H.,  226. 

Sizer,  Joel,  230,  236. 

Skinner,  O.  B.,  241. 

Slavery,  132-33,  229,  309-10,  387-88. 
-SVd'  also  Cuyahoga  Anti-Slavery 
Society  ;  Anti-Slavery  Society  ; 
Negro. 

Sleeper,  D.  L.,  525. 

Smead,  T.  H.,  258. 

Smith,  Asa,  168. 

Smith,  A   D.,  471. 

Smith,  A.  J.,  369. 

Smith,  A.  M.  C,  268. 

Smith,  Charles,  328. 

Smith,  Edwin,  357. 

Smith,  Erastus,  247,  270,  310,  471. 

Smith,  H.  L.,  339. 

Smith,  Henry  A.,  399. 

Smith,  James,  9. 

Smith,  Jeremiah,  554. 

Smith,  S.  C,  359. 

Smith,  William  M.,  312. 

Smyth,  Anson,  2S9,  377,  402,  462. 

Snakes,  68,  69. 

Snow,  "Grandfather,"  359. 

Snow,  Louisa,   282. 

Society  for  Savings,  342. 

Soldiers'  and  vSailors'  Monument, 
494-97. 

Solon,  303. 

South  Cleveland  Banking  Company, 

345- 
South  End  Park,  418. 
South     Highway.        See    Kinsman 

street. 


INDEX. 


5S1 


South  Presbyterian  Church.  241. 

South  vSide  Viaduct,  476. 

Southworth,  Elizabeth,  230. 

Sowers,  Edgar,  471. 

Spafford,  Adolphus,  13S-39. 

Spafford,  Amos,  26,  53,  54,  69,  89, 
go,  92,  121,  127,  136;  survej-s  land 
for  Cleveland,  41 ;  at  first  court, 
93-94 ;  makes  local  improvements, 
107,  111-12;  candidate  for  senator 
or  representative,  iiS;  commis- 
sioner Erie  Canal,  134;  member  of 
State  Legislature,  142 ;  removes 
to  Perrysburg,  142. 

Spafford,  Anna,  112. 

Spafford,  Samuel,  54. 

Spalding,  Rufus  P.,  214-15,  35S,  3S3, 
387,  441,  509. 

Spangler,  B.  L.,  250,  354,  366. 

Spangler,  M.  M.,  247,  24S,  349-51. 

Spangler,  Michael,  212. 

Spargo,  Mary  P.,  470. 

Spencer,  A.  K.,  399. 

Spencer,  Orson,  354. 

Spencer,  Timoth}-  P.,  241,  507. 

Spotswood,  Alexander,  7. 

Sprague,  Asa,  199,  226. 

Sprecher,     Samuel     P.,     541,     547, 

553- 
Springer,  Uriah,  12. 
Spurgeon,  John  J.,  518. 
Squire,  F.  B.,  517. 
Stafford,  O.  M.,  520. 
Stage-coaches,   140,   295.     See   also 

Good  Intent ;  Pioneer. 
Stair,  John,  254-55. 
Stanard,  B.  A.,  316,  446. 
Standard  Oil  Company,  391. 
Standart,   Needham    M.,    364,    365. 
Stanley,  George  A.,  446. 
Stanley,  Geoi'ge  B. ,  405. 
Stanley,  William  H.,  377. 
Stannard,  R.  W.,  433. 
Stanton,  Miss  Elizabeth,  526. 
Stark,  Captain,  246. 
Starkweather,     Samuel,     271,     276, 

283,  286,  399. 
Starling  Medical  College,  312. 
State  Bank  of  Ohio,  341,  342. 


State    Fire   and   Marine    Insurance 

Company,   352. 
Staunton,  James,  124. 
Stedman,  — ,  325. 
Stedman,  Buckley,  362. 
Steel  industry,  370. 
Stephens,  Mr.,  154. 
Stephenson,  T.  B.,  250. 
Sterling,  Elisha,  410,  440. 
Sterling,  John  M.,  294. 
Sterling,  Mrs.  John  M.,  237. 
Sterling,  John  M.,  Jr.,  2S3,  398. 
Sterns,  Luther,  161. 
Stevens,  C.  C,  311. 
Stevens,  Henry  S.,  379,  402. 
Stevenson,  Frederick  Boyd,  555. 
Stewart,  James,  327. 
Stewart,  N.  Coe,  462. 
Stewart,  Mrs.  N.  Coe,  549. 
Stigwanish.     See  Seneca. 
Stiles,  Job  P.,  41,  50,  61,  75,  96. 
Stiles,  Mrs.  Tabitha,  50,  52. 
Stillman,  C,  355. 
Stockly,  George  W.,  431. 
Stoddard,  Richard  M.,  26,  41,  54. 
Stone,  Amasa,  323,  333,  405,  447-48. 
Stone,  Carlos  M.,  547. 
Stone,  Randolph,  213,  229. 
Stone,  S.  S.,  339. 
Stone,  William,  229. 
Stone,  Chisholm,  and  Jones,  369. 
Story,  Daniel,   113. 
Stow,  Ephraim,  92. 
Stowe,  Benjamin,  93. 
Straus,  Albert,  482. 
Streator,  Worthy  S.,  405,  454. 
Street  railroads,    257,    379-82,    3S9, 

505,  508-509. 
Streets,  laid  out,  177,  233-34. 
Strickland,  Aaron  T.,  26S,  294. 
Strike  of  1877,  434. 
Strong,  C.   H.,  436. 
Strong,  Homer,  471. 
Strong,  John  H.,  187. 
Strong,  John  S.,  205. 
vStrongsville,  303. 
Stump  mortars,  description,  62. 
Sullivan,  J.  J.,  526,  542. 
Sun,  total  eclipse,  127. 


5S2 


INDEX. 


Sun  and  Voice,  The,  517. 
Sun  Fire  Insurance  Company,  352. 
Sun-Fish  Pond,  16. 
Superintendent  of  Schools,  1863-66, 

377;  1S67-82,  462;  1SS2-96,  464. 
Superior  lane,  45. 
Superior  street,  41,  45,  46. 
Superior  Court,  338,  442. 
Supervisors  of  highways,  1S02,  iii; 

1803,  118. 
Supreme  Court  of  Ohio,  152. 
Surveyors,  4S-49,  50,  51-52,  60. 
Surveys,  126,  140,  295,  413;  Western 

Reserve,   36;  according  to   Spaf- 

ford's  and  Pease's  maps,   41,  42; 

original,  44-46. 
Sweeney,  John,  161. 
Sweeney,  John  S.,  515. 

Taggart,  Rev.  Richmond,  250. 

Taintor,  Jesse  F.,  314,  342. 

Tanner,  Hawley,  93. 

Tappan,  Abraham,  113,  126. 

Tappan,  Benjamin,  118,  161,  222. 

Taxation,  121,   276. 

Taylor,  Mrs.  B.  F.,  359,  54S. 

Taylor,  Charles,  186. 

Taylor,  Isaac,  273,  274. 

Taylor,  John,  161. 

Taylor,  J.  D.,  140. 

Taylor,  Rev.  Livingston,  L.  359. 

Taylor,  Philo,  187. 

Taylor,  S.  M.,  521,  525. 

Tejocharonting,    Lake.      See   Erie, 

Lake. 
Telegraph  Supply  &  Mfg.  Co.,  431. 
Temperance,  423-25. 
Temperance  Society,  292,  424. 
Terrell,  Ichabod,  83. 
Territorial  Legislature,  117. 
Teutonia  Fire  Insurance  Co.,  352. 
Thatcher,  Peter,  359,  399. 
Thayendanega.     See  Brant,  Joseph. 
Thayer,  Sarah  M.,  282. 
Theatres,  270,  292,  426-28,  546. 
Theatre  Comique,  428. 
Third  Presbyterian  Church,  353. 
Thomas.  Jefferson,  250. 
Thomas,  Thomas,  161. 


Thompson,  John,  133. 

Thorne,  J.  A.,  283,  377. 

Thorp,  Bazaleel,  161. 

Thorp,  Joel,  82,  121,  139. 

Thorpe,  H.  H.,  421. 

Thorpe,  T.  P.,  529,  554. 

Thwing,   Charles  F.,   359,   448,   526, 

553.  554- 
Tibbetts,  G.  B.,  471. 
Tibbitts,  George  W.,  283. 
Tiffany,  Joel,  339. 
Tiffin,  Governor,  129. 
Tilden,  Daniel  R.,  356,  368. 
Tillotson,  Isaac,  122. 
Tinker,  Joseph,  26,  54. 
Tinker's  Creek,  9,  365. 
Tisdale,  — ,  263. 
Tod,  David,  328,  373. 
Tod,  George,  93,  165,  214,  215. 
Tod,  John,  410,  479. 
Tomlinson,  Andrew,  230. 
Tonnage,  263. 
Topping,  A.,  421. 
Town  pump,  271. 
Townsend,  Amos,  405,  413,  41 S,  419, 

483,  509. 
Townsend  Guards,  433. 
Tracy,  James  J.,  446,  447. 
Trading-house,  9-10. 
Transportation,  211. 
Treasurer,  City,  176,  478,  482. 
Trimble,  William,  177. 
Trinity  Church,  184-86 
Trowbridge,  Amasa,  312. 
Troy  &  Erie  Line,  235. 
Trumbull  County,  77,   80,  82,  92-94, 

120,  14S. 
Turney,  Joseph,  421. 
Turney,  Mrs.  Jos.,  526. 
Tuscarawas  River,  11,  129,  134. 
Tuttle,  Mrs.  A.  H.,  550. 
Tuttle,  George  R. ,  399. 
Tuttle,  H.  B,  399. 
Tyler,  B.  F.,  266. 
Tyler,  D.  S.,  160. 
Typhoid  fever  epidemic,  226. 

UxDERHiLL,  James  S.,  294. 
Underbill,  Samuel,  471. 


j.\/>j-:.\. 


'^^'^y 


Union  (.'hill,  4<)(>. 
Union  lane,  3S. 
Union  National   IJank,  345. 
Union  Passeni;xM-  Dejiot,  354,  398. 
Union  Rolliiii^-  Mills,  370. 
Union  street,  42. 

United  Presbyterian  Church,  313. 
United  States  Artillery,  552. 
United  States  de])ositoi-y,  341. 
United  States  District  Court,  3(18. 
United  States  Rej;'ulars,  530-31,  342. 
University    ot"    ]\[edicine    and     Sur- 
gery, 340. 
University  School,  450-51. 
Upson,  William  IL,  4(H). 
Upton,  Mrs.  Harriet  Taylor,  541;. 

Vail,  Isaac  C,  471. 

Valley  Railway  Company,  335. 

Van  Brunt,  Henry,  455. 

Vanderbilt,  William  H.,  337. 

Van  Dnzen,   Hartman,  lOr. 

Van  Tassel,  A.  T.,  393,  421. 

Varian,  Alexander,  315. 

Vaughan,  George  R.,  377. 

Vaughan,  John  C,  514. 

Vaux,  Calvert,  455. 

Veteran  (Guards,  433. 

Veteran  \"()lunteer  Fire  Depart- 
ment, 543,  552. 

Viaducts.      .SVt'  Bridges. 

Viger,  Caj)tain,  407. 

Vincent,  John  A.,  267. 

Vineyard  'ane,  45,  236. 

Vineyard  street,  42. 

Virgil,  W.  R.,  247. 

Vocal  Society,  294,  453,  528,  534,  541. 

Volunteer  Fire  Department,  247, 
249. 

Wade,  Edward,  292,  339,  509. 
Wade,  Jeptlia  H.,  345,  405,  415-16, 

453.  454.  479- 
Wade  Park,  416-20. 
Wadsworth,    General,    iig-20,    121, 

161. 
Wadsworth,  Elijah,  161. 
Walcutt,  William,  3S4. 
Walk-in-thc-Water,  the,  203-207.    . 


Walker,  Tini<illi\-,  76. 

Wallace,  \'.  'W.  430. 

Wallace,  George,  153,  1(13,  i7(>,  iSi, 
1S7. 

Wallace,  Mrs.  (leorge,  158. 

Walter,  Alexander  W.,  354. 

Walters,  R.  W.,  495. 

Walton,  J.  W.,  52(). 

Walton,  Thomas  A.,  306,  339. 

Walworth,  Ashnel  W.,  72-73,  153, 
177,  2()5,  471  ;  postmaster,  163, 
507;  clerk,  17S;  incorporator 
Cleveland  Pier  Company,  iSt; 
treasurer  Cok)nization  vSociety, 
229. 

Walworth,  John,  136,  140,  143,  144, 
135. 153;  biographical  sketch,  128- 
30;  clerk  and  recorder  Common 
Pleas  Court,  149 ;  clerk  of  Supreme 
Court,  152. 

Walworth,  Mrs.  John,  15S. 

War  of  1812,  156-65. 

Wares,  Moses,  250. 

Warner,  W.  J.,  271,  440. 

Warner  and  Hicko.x,  2S2. 

Warren,  Moses,  26,  54. 

Warren,  ]\Ioses,  Jr.,  53. 

Warren,  95,  128. 

WarrensviUe,  303. 

Washburn  Peleg,  67,  96. 

Washington,  (George,  11. 

Washington  County,  147. 

Washington,  loss  of  the,  127. 

Washington  Guards,  the,  433. 

W^ashington     Insurance    Company, 

352. 
Wason,  Charles,  345. 
Wason,  Everett  &  Co.,  345,  347. 
Water  Company,  246. 
Water  supply,  155,  275. 
Waterworks,   354,  355,    365-67,   407, 

408,    409 ;  cost  of  construction  to 

1892,  505. 
Waterman,  Eleazur,  176,  471. 
Watkins,  George,  193. 
Watson,  J.  W.,  427. 
Wayne  County,  47,  147. 
Weatherly,  Joseph  L.,  250,  339,  352. 
Weatherly,  J.  R.,  247. 


>S.f 


ixnjix. 


\\\m;,  .Mrs.  Ella  Sturtevant,  526. 

Webb,  Thomas  D.,  136,  152. 

Wehtr.  Herman.  472. 

WlIjlt,  L.  X.,   526. 

Weddell,  H.  P..  345. 

Wecklell,..Mrs.  II.  .P..  237. 

AVeddell,  Peter  M.,  iSo,  1S6,  212, 
249,  341;  member  of  dry-goods 
lirm,  295  ;  partner  of  Edmund 
Clade,  305 ;  incorporator  Ohio  R. 
R.  Co.,  31S. 

Weddell  House,  316,  35S. 

AVedding,  first  in  Cleveland,  72. 

Weed,  Mrs.  Charles  H.,  526. 

Weldon,  S.  J.,  243. 

Welker,  Martin,  368. 

Well,  Thomas,  247. 

Wells,  Bezaleel,  135. 

Wells,  Frank,  434. 

Wells,  Porter,  471. 

Wenham,  A.  J.,  253. 

Wepel,  John,  529. 

Weseloh,  H.,  529. 

West  Cleveland,  annexation,  508. 

West  side,  early  conditions  and  set- 
tlement, 238-41. 

Western  Reserve,  20-21,  24-35,  56- 
59 :  origin  of,  iS-ig;  civilization, 
85,  88;  final  suiTender  of  Indian 
claims,  123-26;  fifth  and  last  divi- 
sion of  land,  134. 

Western  Reserve  Academy,  44S. 

Western  Reserve  College,  medical 
department,  312. 

Western  Reserve  day,  552. 

Western  Reserve  Historical  Society, 
13,  399-400,  4>''2-S5. 

Western  Reserve  University,  447-50. 

Western  Seaman's  Friend  Society, 
294. 

Wheeler,  Aaron,  94,  355. 

Wheeler,  John,  339. 

Wheeler,  J.  B.,  354. 

Whigs.  25S,  307. 

Whipping-post,  152. 

Whitaker,  James,  355. 

White,  Andrew,  310. 

AVhite,  Bushnell,  2S6,  354,  .355,  368, 
446. 


White,  Henry  C,  86,  356. 
White,  John,  154. 
White,  John  (t.,  403, 
White,  Lyman,.  154. 
White,  Minerv-a,  228. 
White,  Mrs.  Moses,  237. 
White,  Moses,  249. 
White,  Samuel,  154. 
White,  Solomon,  154. 
White,  Thomas  H.,  360. 
White,  William,  154,  161. 
Whitelaw,  John  F. ,  2S3. 
Whitman,  Henry,  2S2. 
Whitman,  H.  L. ,  311.- 
Whitman,  Standart  &  Co.,  347. 
Whitney,  Emma,  282. 
;    Whitney,  G.  W.,  405. 

Whittlesey,    Charles,    gi,    129,    25S, 
]       289,  294,  399;  sketch  of,  400-401. 
Whittlesey,  Pilisha,  161;  168-71. 
Wick,  Lemuel,  348. 
Wick,  William,  100. 
Wick,  Henry,   &  Co.,   344,  345,  347, 

42S. 
Wick,  Otis,  and  Brownell,  344. 
Wickham,  ^Irs.  Gertrude  V.  R.,  526. 
Wigham,  James  B.,  355,  362. 
Wightman,  D.  L. ,  440. 
Wightman,  John,  154. 
Wilcox,  Jeremiah,  93. 
Wilcox,  Norman,  26. 
Wilkins,  Major,  10. 
Willey,  George,  399. 
Willey,   John  W.,  215,  268,  271,  278, 

297. 
Willeyville,    Ohio    City    allotment, 

295. 
Williams,  A.  J..  43-44,442,  519,  521, 

525-  55f'. 
Williams,  Mrs.  A.  J.,  526. 
Williams,  Charles  D.,  339,  3S4. 
Williams,  Frederick,  154. 
Williams,  (reorge,  205. 
Williams,  Jonathan,  247,  271. 
Williams,  Joseph,  154,  i6i. 
Williams,  Micajah,  222. 
Williams,  Ralph  1).,  526. 
Williams,  Wheeler  W.,  63,  96. 
Williams,  William  W.,  121,  130,  154. 


INDEX. 


3S5 


Williams,  William  W..  Jr.^  154. 

Williams's  Mills,  122. 

Williamson,  Matthew,  147,  153,  lOr. 
177. 

Williamson,  Samuel,  Sr.,  143,  147, 
17O,  192,  215,  267,  272,  279,  479;  in- 
corporator CleX'eland  Pier  Com- 
pany, 181;  director  Commercial 
Bank  of  Lake  Erie,  I S6,  187;  treas- 
urer of  Council,  273;  Case  Library 
Association  board,  31G. 

Williamson,  S.  E.,  510. 

Willous^hby,  14S. 

Willoughby  .L'niversity  of  Lake 
Erie,  311. 

Willson,  Hiram  V.,  260,  364,  368,  383. 

Willson  avenue,  line  of  survey,  46. 

Wilson,  Frank,  433. 

Wilson,  S.,  311. 

Windom,  William,  455. 

Winslow,  A.  P.,  182. 

Winslow,   Charles,  266. 

Winslow,  Richard,  267,  305,  339, 
440. 

Witherell,  E.  C,  339. 

Withington,  Albert  L.,  345,  465,  4S5, 

Witt,  Stillman,  323,  333,  404. 

AVolcott,  Theodore,  79. 

Wolves,  battle  with,  104. 

Woman's  Christian  Association, 
4'-'4- 

Womans  Christian  Temperance 
Union,  425,  465-67. 

Woman's  Crusade,  423-25. 

AVoman's  day,  547-50. 

Woman's  Union  Gospel  Work,  237. 

Wof>d.  Colonel,  aid  of  General  Har- 
rison, 1 65. 

AVood.  David  L. ,  292,  471. 

Wood,  Henry  W.  S.,  403,  526. 

World.  Reuben,  176,  197,  215,  326. 


Wood  inspection,  270. 
Woodbridge,  Mary  A.,  465. 
Woods,  Daniel  B.,  357.  - 
Woods,  H.  E.,  517. 
Woods,  Perrj'  &  Co.,  468. 
Woodland  Cemetery,  360-61. 
Woolenneber,  L.  W.,  311. 
Woolsey,  John  M.,  265,  322. 
Woolson,  Charles  J.,  343. 
Woolverton,  Stephen,  270. 
Wooster  and  Medina  Turnpike,  295. 
Worcester,  Noah,  312. 
World,  the,  history  of,  517-18. 
Worley,   Daniel,   243,   249,  267,  268, 

271,  278;  postmaster,  507. 
Worley,  Mrs.  Daniel,  236,  237. 
Worley,  Eliza,  230. 
Worthmgton,  George,  306,  345. 
Worthington,  George  H.,  51b,  526. 
Wright,  Mrs.  R.  H.,  549. 
Worthington,  Thomas,  117,  222. 
Wright,  Darwin  E.,  521,  525. 
AVright,  Jabez,  150. 
Wnghtman,  John,  161. 
Wyandots,  the,  124. 

Y.ACHT  Club,  552,  553. 

Yagers,  the,  292. 

Yates,  George  W.,  282. 

Young,  Elijah,  240. 

Young,  John,  93. 

Younglove,  Moses  G.,  316. 

Youngstown,  So,  94,  97. 

Young  Ladies'  Temperance  League, 

425- 
Young  Men's  Christian  Association, 

353.  354,  428- 
Young  Men's  Literary  .Association, 

294,  315- 

Zkhking,  A.,  521,  525. 
Zephyr,  the,  72,  139. 


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